Apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, method for transmitting broadcast signals and method for receiving broadcast signals

ABSTRACT

A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, the apparatus comprises an encoder for encoding service data corresponding to each of a plurality of data transmission path, wherein each of the data transmission path carries at least one service component, a frame builder for building at least one signal frame included in a super frame, wherein each of signal frames includes the encoded service data and the encoded signaling data, a modulator for modulating the at least one signal frame by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme, wherein each of the modulated signal frame includes a preamble having basic transmission parameters, wherein a length of the preamble is extendable and a transmitter for transmitting the broadcast signals carrying the at least one modulated signal frame.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 61/925,196, filed on Jan. 8, 2014 and 61/933,304, filed on Jan. 29, 2014, which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals and methods for transmitting and receiving broadcast signals.

Discussion of the Related Art

As analog broadcast signal transmission comes to an end, various technologies for transmitting/receiving digital broadcast signals are being developed. A digital broadcast signal may include a larger amount of video/audio data than an analog broadcast signal and further include various types of additional data in addition to the video/audio data.

That is, a digital broadcast system can provide HD (high definition) images, multi-channel audio and various additional services. However, data transmission efficiency for transmission of large amounts of data, robustness of transmission/reception networks and network flexibility in consideration of mobile reception equipment need to be improved for digital broadcast.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals and an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals for future broadcast services and methods for transmitting and receiving broadcast signals for future broadcast services.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for transmitting broadcast signals to multiplex data of a broadcast transmission/reception system providing two or more different broadcast services in a time domain and transmit the multiplexed data through the same RF signal bandwidth and an apparatus and method for receiving broadcast signals corresponding thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals and methods for transmitting and receiving broadcast signals to classify data corresponding to services by components, transmit data corresponding to each component as a data pipe, receive and process the data

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals and methods for transmitting and receiving broadcast signals to signal signaling information necessary to provide broadcast signals.

Technical Solution

To achieve the object and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a method for transmitting broadcast signals, the method comprises encoding service data corresponding to each of a plurality of data transmission path, wherein each of the data transmission path carries at least one service component, building at least one signal frame included in a super-frame, wherein each of signal frames includes the encoded service data, modulating the at least one signal frame by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme, wherein each of the modulated signal frame includes a preamble having basic transmission parameters, wherein a length of the preamble is extendable and transmitting the broadcast signals carrying the at least one modulated signal frame.

Advantageous Effects

The present invention can process data according to service characteristics to control QoS (Quality of Services) for each service or service component, thereby providing various broadcast services.

The present invention can achieve transmission flexibility by transmitting various broadcast services through the same RF signal bandwidth.

The present invention can improve data transmission efficiency and increase robustness of transmission/reception of broadcast signals using a MIMO system.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide broadcast signal transmission and reception methods and apparatus capable of receiving digital broadcast signals without error even with mobile reception equipment or in an indoor environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an input formatting block according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an input formatting block according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an input formatting block according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a BICM block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a BICM block according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a frame building block according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates an OFDM generation block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a structure of an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a frame structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a signaling hierarchy structure of the frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates preamble signaling data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates PLS1 data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates PLS2 data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 illustrates PLS2 data according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 illustrates a logical structure of a frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates PLS mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 illustrates EAC mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 illustrates FIC mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 illustrates a type of DP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 illustrates DP mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 illustrates an FEC structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 illustrates a bit interleaving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 illustrates a cell-word demultiplexing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 illustrates a time interleaving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 illustrates the basic operation of a twisted row-column block interleaver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 27 illustrates an operation of a twisted row-column block interleaver according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 illustrates a diagonal-wise reading pattern of a twisted row-column block interleaver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 illustrates interlaved XFECBLOCKs from each interleaving array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 30 illustrates a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 31 illustrates preamble structures according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 32 illustrates a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 33 illustrates a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 34 is a graph showing a scrambling sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 35 illustrates examples of scrambling sequences modified from the binary chirp-like sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 36 illustrates preamble signaling according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37 illustrates a signaling information structure in the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 38 illustrates a procedure of processing signaling data transmitted through the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 39 illustrates a procedure of processing signaling data transmitted through the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 40 shows mathematical expressions representing relationships between input information and output information or mapping rules of the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 41 illustrates a differential encoding operation that can be performed by a preamble insertion module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 42 illustrates a differential encoding operation that can be performed by a preamble insertion module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 43 is a block diagram of a correlation detector included in a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 44 illustrates a signaling decoder of a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 45 illustrates a signaling decoder of a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 46 illustrates a signaling decoder of a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 47 is a diagram showing a preamble structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 48 is a block diagram of a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 49 is a detailed block diagram of a correlation detector in a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 50 is a detailed block diagram of a correlation detector in a preamble detector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 51 illustrates a frame structure of a broadcast system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 52 illustrates DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 53 illustrates type1 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 54 illustrates type2 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 55 illustrates type3 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 56 illustrates RBs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 57 illustrates a procedure for mapping RBs to frames according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 58 illustrates an RB mapping of type1 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 59 illustrates an RB mapping of type2 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 60 illustrates an RB mapping of type3 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 61 illustrates an RB mapping of type1 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 62 illustrates an RB mapping of type1 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 63 illustrates an RB mapping of type1 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 64 illustrates an RB mapping of type2 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 65 illustrates an RB mapping of type2 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 66 illustrates an RB mapping of type3 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 67 illustrates an RB mapping of type3 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 68 illustrates a signaling information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 69 illustrates a graph showing the number of bits of a PLS according to the number of DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 70 illustrates a procedure for demapping DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 71 illustrates signal frame structures according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 72 is a diagram showing a frame structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 73 is a diagram showing the structure of OFDM symbols included in one frame.

FIG. 74 is a table showing Signaling format for FRU configuration.

FIG. 75 is a diagram showing preamble signaling of FRU configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 76 is a diagram showing PLS signaling of FRU configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 77 is a diagram showing syntax of the PLS signaling field described above in relation to FIG. 76.

FIG. 78 is a table showing Number of OFDM symbols per frame for each FFT and frame length according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 79 is a table showing frame length in millisecond per frame for each FFT and GI fraction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 80 is a table showing Number of OFDM symbols per frame for each FFT and frame length according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 81 is a flowchart of a broadcast signal transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 82 is a flowchart of a broadcast signal reception method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description, which will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, is intended to explain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, rather than to show the only embodiments that can be implemented according to the present invention. The following detailed description includes specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details.

Although most terms used in the present invention have been selected from general ones widely used in the art, some terms have been arbitrarily selected by the applicant and their meanings are explained in detail in the following description as needed. Thus, the present invention should be understood based upon the intended meanings of the terms rather than their simple names or meanings.

The present invention provides apparatuses and methods for transmitting and receiving broadcast signals for future broadcast services. Future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention include a terrestrial broadcast service, a mobile broadcast service, a UHDTV service, etc. The present invention may process broadcast signals for the future broadcast services through non-MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) or MIMO according to one embodiment. A non-MIMO scheme according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a MISO (Multiple Input Single Output) scheme, a SISO (Single Input Single Output) scheme, etc.

While MISO or MIMO uses two antennas in the following for convenience of description, the present invention is applicable to systems using two or more antennas.

The present invention may defines three physical layer (PL) profiles—base, handheld and advanced profiles—each optimized to minimize receiver complexity while attaining the performance required for a particular use case. The physical layer (PHY) profiles are subsets of all configurations that a corresponding receiver should implement.

The three PHY profiles share most of the functional blocks but differ slightly in specific blocks and/or parameters. Additional PHY profiles can be defined in the future. For the system evolution, future profiles can also be multiplexed with the existing profiles in a single RF channel through a future extension frame (FEF). The details of each PHY profile are described below.

1. Base Profile

The base profile represents a main use case for fixed receiving devices that are usually connected to a roof-top antenna. The base profile also includes portable devices that could be transported to a place but belong to a relatively stationary reception category. Use of the base profile could be extended to handheld devices or even vehicular by some improved implementations, but those use cases are not expected for the base profile receiver operation.

Target SNR range of reception is from approximately 10 to 20 dB, which includes the 15 dB SNR reception capability of the existing broadcast system (e.g. ATSC A/53). The receiver complexity and power consumption is not as critical as in the battery-operated handheld devices, which will use the handheld profile. Key system parameters for the base profile are listed in below table 1.

TABLE 1 LDPC codeword length 16K, 64K bits Constellation size 4~10 bpcu (bits per channel use) Time de-interleaving memory size ≦2¹⁹ data cells Pilot patterns Pilot pattern for fixed reception FFT size 16K, 32K points 2. Handheld Profile

The handheld profile is designed for use in handheld and vehicular devices that operate with battery power. The devices can be moving with pedestrian or vehicle speed. The power consumption as well as the receiver complexity is very important for the implementation of the devices of the handheld profile. The target SNR range of the handheld profile is approximately 0 to 10 dB, but can be configured to reach below 0 dB when intended for deeper indoor reception.

In addition to low SNR capability, resilience to the Doppler Effect caused by receiver mobility is the most important performance attribute of the handheld profile. Key system parameters for the handheld profile are listed in the below table 2.

TABLE 2 LDPC codeword length 16K bits Constellation size 2~8 bpcu Time de-interleaving memory size ≦2¹⁸ data cells Pilot patterns Pilot patterns for mobile and indoor reception FFT size 8K, 16K points 3. Advanced Profile

The advanced profile provides highest channel capacity at the cost of more implementation complexity. This profile requires using MIMO transmission and reception, and UHDTV service is a target use case for which this profile is specifically designed. The increased capacity can also be used to allow an increased number of services in a given bandwidth, e.g., multiple SDTV or HDTV services.

The target SNR range of the advanced profile is approximately 20 to 30 dB. MIMO transmission may initially use existing elliptically-polarized transmission equipment, with extension to full-power cross-polarized transmission in the future. Key system parameters for the advanced profile are listed in below table 3.

TABLE 3 LDPC codeword length 16K bits Constellation size 2~8 bpcu Time de-interleaving memory size ≦2¹⁸ data cells Pilot patterns Pilot patterns for mobile and indoor reception FFT size 8K, 16K points

In this case, the base profile can be used as a profile for both the terrestrial broadcast service and the mobile broadcast service. That is, the base profile can be used to define a concept of a profile which includes the mobile profile. Also, the advanced profile can be divided advanced profile for a base profile with MIMO and advanced profile for a handheld profile with MIMO. Moreover, the three profiles can be changed according to intention of the designer.

The following terms and definitions may apply to the present invention. The following terms and definitions can be changed according to design.

auxiliary stream: sequence of cells carrying data of as yet undefined modulation and coding, which may be used for future extensions or as required by broadcasters or network operators

base data pipe: data pipe that carries service signaling data

baseband frame (or BBFRAME): set of Kbch bits which form the input to one FEC encoding process (BCH and LDPC encoding)

cell: modulation value that is carried by one carrier of the OFDM transmission

coded block: LDPC-encoded block of PLS1 data or one of the LDPC-encoded blocks of PLS2 data

data pipe: logical channel in the physical layer that carries service data or related metadata, which may carry one or multiple service(s) or service component(s).

data pipe unit: a basic unit for allocating data cells to a DP in a frame.

data symbol: OFDM symbol in a frame which is not a preamble symbol (the frame signaling symbol and frame edge symbol is included in the data symbol)

DP_ID: this 8 bit field identifies uniquely a DP within the system identified by the SYSTEM_ID

dummy cell: cell carrying a pseudo random value used to fill the remaining capacity not used for PLS signaling, DPs or auxiliary streams

emergency alert channel: part of a frame that carries EAS information data

frame: physical layer time slot that starts with a preamble and ends with a frame edge symbol

frame repetition unit: a set of frames belonging to same or different physical layer profile including a FEF, which is repeated eight times in a super-frame

fast information channel: a logical channel in a frame that carries the mapping information between a service and the corresponding base DP

FECBLOCK: set of LDPC-encoded bits of a DP data

FFT size: nominal FFT size used for a particular mode, equal to the active symbol period Ts expressed in cycles of the elementary period T

frame signaling symbol: OFDM symbol with higher pilot density used at the start of a frame in certain combinations of FFT size, guard interval and scattered pilot pattern, which carries a part of the PLS data

frame edge symbol: OFDM symbol with higher pilot density used at the end of a frame in certain combinations of FFT size, guard interval and scattered pilot pattern

frame-group: the set of all the frames having the same PHY profile type in a super-frame.

future extension frame: physical layer time slot within the super-frame that could be used for future extension, which starts with a preamble

Futurecast UTB system: proposed physical layer broadcasting system, of which the input is one or more MPEG2-TS or IP or general stream(s) and of which the output is an RF signal

input stream: A stream of data for an ensemble of services delivered to the end users by the system.

normal data symbol: data symbol excluding the frame signaling symbol and the frame edge symbol

PHY profile: subset of all configurations that a corresponding receiver should implement

PLS: physical layer signaling data consisting of PLS1 and PLS2

PLS1: a first set of PLS data carried in the FSS symbols having a fixed size, coding and modulation, which carries basic information about the system as well as the parameters needed to decode the PLS2

NOTE: PLS1 data remains constant for the duration of a frame-group.

PLS2: a second set of PLS data transmitted in the FSS symbol, which carries more detailed PLS data about the system and the DPs

PLS2 dynamic data: PLS2 data that may dynamically change frame-by-frame

PLS2 static data: PLS2 data that remains static for the duration of a frame-group

preamble signaling data: signaling data carried by the preamble symbol and used to identify the basic mode of the system

preamble symbol: fixed-length pilot symbol that carries basic PLS data and is located in the beginning of a frame

NOTE: The preamble symbol is mainly used for fast initial band scan to detect the system signal, its timing, frequency offset, and FFT size.

reserved for future use: not defined by the present document but may be defined in future

super frame: set of eight frame repetition units

time interleaving block (TI block): set of cells within which time interleaving is carried out, corresponding to one use of the time interleaver memory

TI group: unit over which dynamic capacity allocation for a particular DP is carried out, made up of an integer, dynamically varying number of XFECBLOCKs

NOTE: The TI group may be mapped directly to one frame or may be mapped to multiple frames. It may contain one or more TI blocks.

Type 1 DP: DP of a frame where all DPs are mapped into the frame in TDM fashion

Type 2 DP: DP of a frame where all DPs are mapped into the frame in FDM fashion

XFECBLOCK: set of Ncells cells carrying all the bits of one LDPC FECBLOCK

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention can include an input formatting block 1000, a BICM (Bit interleaved coding & modulation) block 1010, a frame structure block 1020, an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) generation block 1030 and a signaling generation block 1040. A description will be given of the operation of each module of the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals.

IP stream/packets and MPEG2-TS are the main input formats, other stream types are handled as General Streams. In addition to these data inputs, Management Information is input to control the scheduling and allocation of the corresponding bandwidth for each input stream. One or multiple TS stream(s), IP stream(s) and/or General Stream(s) inputs are simultaneously allowed.

The input formatting block 1000 can demultiplex each input stream into one or multiple data pipe(s), to each of which an independent coding and modulation is applied. The data pipe (DP) is the basic unit for robustness control, thereby affecting quality-of-service (QoS). One or multiple service(s) or service component(s) can be carried by a single DP. Details of operations of the input formatting block 1000 will be described later.

The data pipe is a logical channel in the physical layer that carries service data or related metadata, which may carry one or multiple service(s) or service component(s).

Also, the data pipe unit: a basic unit for allocating data cells to a DP in a frame.

In the BICM block 1010, parity data is added for error correction and the encoded bit streams are mapped to complex-value constellation symbols. The symbols are interleaved across a specific interleaving depth that is used for the corresponding DP. For the advanced profile, MIMO encoding is performed in the BICM block 1010 and the additional data path is added at the output for MIMO transmission. Details of operations of the BICM block 1010 will be described later.

The Frame Building block 1020 can map the data cells of the input DPs into the OFDM symbols within a frame. After mapping, the frequency interleaving is used for frequency-domain diversity, especially to combat frequency-selective fading channels. Details of operations of the Frame Building block 1020 will be described later.

After inserting a preamble at the beginning of each frame, the OFDM Generation block 1030 can apply conventional OFDM modulation having a cyclic prefix as guard interval. For antenna space diversity, a distributed MISO scheme is applied across the transmitters. In addition, a Peak-to-Average Power Reduction (PAPR) scheme is performed in the time domain. For flexible network planning, this proposal provides a set of various FFT sizes, guard interval lengths and corresponding pilot patterns. Details of operations of the OFDM Generation block 1030 will be described later.

The Signaling Generation block 1040 can create physical layer signaling information used for the operation of each functional block. This signaling information is also transmitted so that the services of interest are properly recovered at the receiver side. Details of operations of the Signaling Generation block 1040 will be described later.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the input formatting block 1000 according to embodiments of the present invention. A description will be given of each figure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an input formatting block according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an input formatting module when the input signal is a single input stream.

The input formatting block illustrated in FIG. 2 corresponds to an embodiment of the input formatting block 1000 described with reference to FIG. 1.

The input to the physical layer may be composed of one or multiple data streams. Each data stream is carried by one DP. The mode adaptation modules slice the incoming data stream into data fields of the baseband frame (BBF). The system supports three types of input data streams: MPEG2-TS, Internet protocol (IP) and Generic stream (GS). MPEG2-TS is characterized by fixed length (188 byte) packets with the first byte being a sync-byte (0x47). An IP stream is composed of variable length IP datagram packets, as signaled within IP packet headers. The system supports both IPv4 and IPv6 for the IP stream. GS may be composed of variable length packets or constant length packets, signaled within encapsulation packet headers.

(a) shows a mode adaptation block 2000 and a stream adaptation 2010 for signal DP and (b) shows a PLS generation block 2020 and a PLS scrambler 2030 for generating and processing PLS data. A description will be given of the operation of each block.

The Input Stream Splitter splits the input TS, IP, GS streams into multiple service or service component (audio, video, etc.) streams. The mode adaptation module 2010 is comprised of a CRC Encoder, BB (baseband) Frame Slicer, and BB Frame Header Insertion block.

The CRC Encoder provides three kinds of CRC encoding for error detection at the user packet (UP) level, i.e., CRC-8, CRC-16, and CRC-32. The computed CRC bytes are appended after the UP. CRC-8 is used for TS stream and CRC-32 for IP stream. If the GS stream doesn't provide the CRC encoding, the proposed CRC encoding should be applied.

BB Frame Slicer maps the input into an internal logical-bit format. The first received bit is defined to be the MSB. The BB Frame Slicer allocates a number of input bits equal to the available data field capacity. To allocate a number of input bits equal to the BBF payload, the UP packet stream is sliced to fit the data field of BBF.

BB Frame Header Insertion block can insert fixed length BBF header of 2 bytes is inserted in front of the BB Frame. The BBF header is composed of STUFFI (1 bit), SYNCD (13 bits), and RFU (2 bits). In addition to the fixed 2-Byte BBF header, BBF can have an extension field (1 or 3 bytes) at the end of the 2-byte BBF header.

The stream adaptation 2010 is comprised of stuffing insertion block and BB scrambler.

The stuffing insertion block can insert stuffing field into a payload of a BB frame. If the input data to the stream adaptation is sufficient to fill a BB-Frame, STUFFI is set to ‘0’ and the BBF has no stuffing field. Otherwise STUFFI is set to ‘1’ and the stuffing field is inserted immediately after the BBF header. The stuffing field comprises two bytes of the stuffing field header and a variable size of stuffing data.

The BB scrambler scrambles complete BBF for energy dispersal. The scrambling sequence is synchronous with the BBF. The scrambling sequence is generated by the feed-back shift register.

The PLS generation block 2020 can generate physical layer signaling (PLS) data. The PLS provides the receiver with a means to access physical layer DPs. The PLS data consists of PLS1 data and PLS2 data.

The PLS1 data is a first set of PLS data carried in the FSS symbols in the frame having a fixed size, coding and modulation, which carries basic information about the system as well as the parameters needed to decode the PLS2 data. The PLS1 data provides basic transmission parameters including parameters required to enable the reception and decoding of the PLS2 data. Also, the PLS1 data remains constant for the duration of a frame-group.

The PLS2 data is a second set of PLS data transmitted in the FSS symbol, which carries more detailed PLS data about the system and the DPs. The PLS2 contains parameters that provide sufficient information for the receiver to decode the desired DP. The PLS2 signaling further consists of two types of parameters, PLS2 Static data (PLS2-STAT data) and PLS2 dynamic data (PLS2-DYN data). The PLS2 Static data is PLS2 data that remains static for the duration of a frame-group and the PLS2 dynamic data is PLS2 data that may dynamically change frame-by-frame.

Details of the PLS data will be described later.

The PLS scrambler 2030 can scramble the generated PLS data for energy dispersal.

The above-described blocks may be omitted or replaced by blocks having similar or identical functions.

FIG. 3 illustrates an input formatting block according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The input formatting block illustrated in FIG. 3 corresponds to an embodiment of the input formatting block 1000 described with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a mode adaptation block of the input formatting block when the input signal corresponds to multiple input streams.

The mode adaptation block of the input formatting block for processing the multiple input streams can independently process the multiple input streams.

Referring to FIG. 3, the mode adaptation block for respectively processing the multiple input streams can include an input stream splitter 3000, an input stream synchronizer 3010, a compensating delay block 3020, a null packet deletion block 3030, a head compression block 3040, a CRC encoder 3050, a BB frame slicer 3060 and a BB header insertion block 3070. Description will be given of each block of the mode adaptation block.

Operations of the CRC encoder 3050, BB frame slicer 3060 and BB header insertion block 3070 correspond to those of the CRC encoder, BB frame slicer and BB header insertion block described with reference to FIG. 2 and thus description thereof is omitted.

The input stream splitter 3000 can split the input TS, IP, GS streams into multiple service or service component (audio, video, etc.) streams.

The input stream synchronizer 3010 may be referred as ISSY. The ISSY can provide suitable means to guarantee Constant Bit Rate (CBR) and constant end-to-end transmission delay for any input data format. The ISSY is always used for the case of multiple DPs carrying TS, and optionally used for multiple DPs carrying GS streams.

The compensating delay block 3020 can delay the split TS packet stream following the insertion of ISSY information to allow a TS packet recombining mechanism without requiring additional memory in the receiver.

The null packet deletion block 3030, is used only for the TS input stream case. Some TS input streams or split TS streams may have a large number of null-packets present in order to accommodate VBR (variable bit-rate) services in a CBR TS stream. In this case, in order to avoid unnecessary transmission overhead, null-packets can be identified and not transmitted. In the receiver, removed null-packets can be re-inserted in the exact place where they were originally by reference to a deleted null-packet (DNP) counter that is inserted in the transmission, thus guaranteeing constant bit-rate and avoiding the need for time-stamp (PCR) updating.

The head compression block 3040 can provide packet header compression to increase transmission efficiency for TS or IP input streams. Because the receiver can have a priori information on certain parts of the header, this known information can be deleted in the transmitter.

For Transport Stream, the receiver has a-priori information about the sync-byte configuration (0x47) and the packet length (188 Byte). If the input TS stream carries content that has only one PID, i.e., for only one service component (video, audio, etc.) or service sub-component (SVC base layer, SVC enhancement layer, MVC base view or MVC dependent views), TS packet header compression can be applied (optionally) to the Transport Stream. IP packet header compression is used optionally if the input steam is an IP stream.

The above-described blocks may be omitted or replaced by blocks having similar or identical functions.

FIG. 4 illustrates an input formatting block according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The input formatting block illustrated in FIG. 4 corresponds to an embodiment of the input formatting block 1000 described with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a stream adaptation block of the input formatting module when the input signal corresponds to multiple input streams.

Referring to FIG. 4, the mode adaptation block for respectively processing the multiple input streams can include a scheduler 4000, an 1-Frame delay block 4010, a stuffing insertion block 4020, an in-band signaling 4030, a BB Frame scrambler 4040, a PLS generation block 4050 and a PLS scrambler 4060. Description will be given of each block of the stream adaptation block.

Operations of the stuffing insertion block 4020, the BB Frame scrambler 4040, the PLS generation block 4050 and the PLS scrambler 4060 correspond to those of the stuffing insertion block, BB scrambler, PLS generation block and the PLS scrambler described with reference to FIG. 2 and thus description thereof is omitted.

The scheduler 4000 can determine the overall cell allocation across the entire frame from the amount of FECBLOCKs of each DP. Including the allocation for PLS, EAC and FIC, the scheduler generate the values of PLS2-DYN data, which is transmitted as in-band signaling or PLS cell in FSS of the frame. Details of FECBLOCK, EAC and FIC will be described later.

The 1-Frame delay block 4010 can delay the input data by one transmission frame such that scheduling information about the next frame can be transmitted through the current frame for in-band signaling information to be inserted into the DPs.

The in-band signaling 4030 can insert un-delayed part of the PLS2 data into a DP of a frame.

The above-described blocks may be omitted or replaced by blocks having similar or identical functions.

FIG. 5 illustrates a BICM block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The BICM block illustrated in FIG. 5 corresponds to an embodiment of the BICM block 1010 described with reference to FIG. 1.

As described above, the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide a terrestrial broadcast service, mobile broadcast service, UHDTV service, etc.

Since QoS (quality of service) depends on characteristics of a service provided by the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention, data corresponding to respective services needs to be processed through different schemes. Accordingly, the a BICM block according to an embodiment of the present invention can independently process DPs input thereto by independently applying SISO, MISO and MIMO schemes to the data pipes respectively corresponding to data paths. Consequently, the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention can control QoS for each service or service component transmitted through each DP.

(a) shows the BICM block shared by the base profile and the handheld profile and (b) shows the BICM block of the advanced profile.

The BICM block shared by the base profile and the handheld profile and the BICM block of the advanced profile can include plural processing blocks for processing each DP.

A description will be given of each processing block of the BICM block for the base profile and the handheld profile and the BICM block for the advanced profile.

A processing block 5000 of the BICM block for the base profile and the handheld profile can include a Data FEC encoder 5010, a bit interleaver 5020, a constellation mapper 5030, an SSD (Signal Space Diversity) encoding block 5040 and a time interleaver 5050.

The Data FEC encoder 5010 can perform the FEC encoding on the input BBF to generate FECBLOCK procedure using outer coding (BCH), and inner coding (LDPC). The outer coding (BCH) is optional coding method. Details of operations of the Data FEC encoder 5010 will be described later.

The bit interleaver 5020 can interleave outputs of the Data FEC encoder 5010 to achieve optimized performance with combination of the LDPC codes and modulation scheme while providing an efficiently implementable structure. Details of operations of the bit interleaver 5020 will be described later.

The constellation mapper 5030 can modulate each cell word from the bit interleaver 5020 in the base and the handheld profiles, or cell word from the Cell-word demultiplexer 5010-1 in the advanced profile using either QPSK, QAM-16, non-uniform QAM (NUQ-64, NUQ-256, NUQ-1024) or non-uniform constellation (NUC-16, NUC-64, NUC-256, NUC-1024) to give a power-normalized constellation point, e1. This constellation mapping is applied only for DPs. Observe that QAM-16 and NUQs are square shaped, while NUCs have arbitrary shape. When each constellation is rotated by any multiple of 90 degrees, the rotated constellation exactly overlaps with its original one. This “rotation-sense” symmetric property makes the capacities and the average powers of the real and imaginary components equal to each other. Both NUQs and NUCs are defined specifically for each code rate and the particular one used is signaled by the parameter DP_MOD filed in PLS2 data.

The SSD encoding block 5040 can precode cells in two (2D), three (3D), and four (4D) dimensions to increase the reception robustness under difficult fading conditions.

The time interleaver 5050 can operates at the DP level. The parameters of time interleaving (TI) may be set differently for each DP. Details of operations of the time interleaver 5050 will be described later.

A processing block 5000-1 of the BICM block for the advanced profile can include the Data FEC encoder, bit interleaver, constellation mapper, and time interleaver. However, the processing block 5000-1 is distinguished from the processing block 5000 further includes a cell-word demultiplexer 5010-1 and a MIMO encoding block 5020-1.

Also, the operations of the Data FEC encoder, bit interleaver, constellation mapper, and time interleaver in the processing block 5000-1 correspond to those of the Data FEC encoder 5010, bit interleaver 5020, constellation mapper 5030, and time interleaver 5050 described and thus description thereof is omitted.

The cell-word demultiplexer 5010-1 is used for the DP of the advanced profile to divide the single cell-word stream into dual cell-word streams for MIMO processing. Details of operations of the cell-word demultiplexer 5010-1 will be described later.

The MIMO encoding block 5020-1 can processing the output of the cell-word demultiplexer 5010-1 using MIMO encoding scheme. The MIMO encoding scheme was optimized for broadcasting signal transmission. The MIMO technology is a promising way to get a capacity increase but it depends on channel characteristics. Especially for broadcasting, the strong LOS component of the channel or a difference in the received signal power between two antennas caused by different signal propagation characteristics makes it difficult to get capacity gain from MIMO. The proposed MIMO encoding scheme overcomes this problem using a rotation-based pre-coding and phase randomization of one of the MIMO output signals.

MIMO encoding is intended for a 2×2 MIMO system requiring at least two antennas at both the transmitter and the receiver. Two MIMO encoding modes are defined in this proposal; full-rate spatial multiplexing (FR-SM) and full-rate full-diversity spatial multiplexing (FRFD-SM). The FR-SM encoding provides capacity increase with relatively small complexity increase at the receiver side while the FRFD-SM encoding provides capacity increase and additional diversity gain with a great complexity increase at the receiver side. The proposed MIMO encoding scheme has no restriction on the antenna polarity configuration.

MIMO processing is required for the advanced profile frame, which means all DPs in the advanced profile frame are processed by the MIMO encoder. MIMO processing is applied at DP level. Pairs of the Constellation Mapper outputs NUQ (e1,i and e2,i) are fed to the input of the MIMO Encoder. Paired MIMO Encoder output (g1,i and g2,i) is transmitted by the same carrier k and OFDM symbol 1 of their respective TX antennas.

The above-described blocks may be omitted or replaced by blocks having similar or identical functions.

FIG. 6 illustrates a BICM block according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The BICM block illustrated in FIG. 6 corresponds to an embodiment of the BICM block 1010 described with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates a BICM block for protection of physical layer signaling (PLS), emergency alert channel (EAC) and fast information channel (FIC). EAC is a part of a frame that carries EAS information data and FIC is a logical channel in a frame that carries the mapping information between a service and the corresponding base DP. Details of the EAC and FIC will be described later.

Referring to FIG. 6, the BICM block for protection of PLS, EAC and FIC can include a PLS FEC encoder 6000, a bit interleaver 6010 and a constellation mapper 6020.

Also, the PLS FEC encoder 6000 can include a scrambler, BCH encoding/zero insertion block, LDPC encoding block and LDPC parity punturing block. Description will be given of each block of the BICM block.

The PLS FEC encoder 6000 can encode the scrambled PLS 1/2 data, EAC and FIC section.

The scrambler can scramble PLS1 data and PLS2 data before BCH encoding and shortened and punctured LDPC encoding.

The BCH encoding/zero insertion block can perform outer encoding on the scrambled PLS 1/2 data using the shortened BCH code for PLS protection and insert zero bits after the BCH encoding. For PLS1 data only, the output bits of the zero insertion may be permutted before LDPC encoding.

The LDPC encoding block can encode the output of the BCH encoding/zero insertion block using LDPC code. To generate a complete coded block, Cldpc, parity bits, Pldpc are encoded systematically from each zero-inserted PLS information block, Ildpc and appended after it. C _(ldpc) =[I _(ldpc) P _(ldpc) ]=[i ₀ ,i ₁ , . . . ,i _(K) _(ldpc) ⁻¹ ,p ₀ ,p ₁ , . . . ,p _(N) _(ldpc) _(−K) _(ldpc) ⁻¹]  Math Figure 1

The LDPC code parameters for PLS1 and PLS2 are as following table 4.

TABLE 4 Signaling K_(ldpc) code Type K_(sig) K_(bch) N_(bch) _(—) _(parity) (=N_(bch)) N_(ldpc) N_(ldpc) _(—) _(parity) rate Q_(ldpc) PLS1 342 1020 60 1080 4320 3240 1/4  36 PLS2 <1021 >1020 2100 2160 7200 5040 3/10 56

The LDPC parity punturing block can perform puncturing on the PLS1 data and PLS 2 data.

When shortening is applied to the PLS1 data protection, some LDPC parity bits are punctured after LDPC encoding. Also, for the PLS2 data protection, the LDPC parity bits of PLS2 are punctured after LDPC encoding. These punctured bits are not transmitted.

The bit interleaver 6010 can interleave the each shortened and punctured PLS1 data and PLS2 data.

The constellation mapper 6020 can map the bit interleaved PLS1 data and PLS2 data onto constellations.

The above-described blocks may be omitted or replaced by blocks having similar or identical functions.

FIG. 7 illustrates a frame building block according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The frame building block illustrated in FIG. 7 corresponds to an embodiment of the frame building block 1020 described with reference to FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 7, the frame building block can include a delay compensation block 7000, a cell mapper 7010 and a frequency interleaver 7020. Description will be given of each block of the frame building block.

The delay compensation block 7000 can adjust the timing between the data pipes and the corresponding PLS data to ensure that they are co-timed at the transmitter end. The PLS data is delayed by the same amount as data pipes are by addressing the delays of data pipes caused by the Input Formatting block and BICM block. The delay of the BICM block is mainly due to the time interleaver 5050. In-band signaling data carries information of the next TI group so that they are carried one frame ahead of the DPs to be signaled. The Delay Compensating block delays in-band signaling data accordingly.

The cell mapper 7010 can map PLS, EAC, FIC, DPs, auxiliary streams and dummy cells into the active carriers of the OFDM symbols in the frame. The basic function of the cell mapper 7010 is to map data cells produced by the TIs for each of the DPs, PLS cells, and EAC/FIC cells, if any, into arrays of active OFDM cells corresponding to each of the OFDM symbols within a frame. Service signaling data (such as PSI (program specific information)/SI) can be separately gathered and sent by a data pipe. The Cell Mapper operates according to the dynamic information produced by the scheduler and the configuration of the frame structure. Details of the frame will be described later.

The frequency interleaver 7020 can randomly interleave data cells received from the cell mapper 7010 to provide frequency diversity. Also, the frequency interleaver 7020 can operate on very OFDM symbol pair comprised of two sequential OFDM symbols using a different interleaving-seed order to get maximum interleaving gain in a single frame.

The above-described blocks may be omitted or replaced by blocks having similar or identical functions.

FIG. 8 illustrates an OFDM generation block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The OFDM generation block illustrated in FIG. 8 corresponds to an embodiment of the OFDM generation block 1030 described with reference to FIG. 1.

The OFDM generation block modulates the OFDM carriers by the cells produced by the Frame Building block, inserts the pilots, and produces the time domain signal for transmission. Also, this block subsequently inserts guard intervals, and applies PAPR (Peak-to-Average Power Radio) reduction processing to produce the final RF signal.

Referring to FIG. 8, the frame building block can include a pilot and reserved tone insertion block 8000, a 2D-eSFN encoding block 8010, an IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform) block 8020, a PAPR reduction block 8030, a guard interval insertion block 8040, a preamble insertion block 8050, other system insertion block 8060 and a DAC block 8070. Description will be given of each block of the frame building block.

The pilot and reserved tone insertion block 8000 can insert pilots and the reserved tone.

Various cells within the OFDM symbol are modulated with reference information, known as pilots, which have transmitted values known a priori in the receiver. The information of pilot cells is made up of scattered pilots, continual pilots, edge pilots, FSS (frame signaling symbol) pilots and FES (frame edge symbol) pilots. Each pilot is transmitted at a particular boosted power level according to pilot type and pilot pattern. The value of the pilot information is derived from a reference sequence, which is a series of values, one for each transmitted carrier on any given symbol. The pilots can be used for frame synchronization, frequency synchronization, time synchronization, channel estimation, and transmission mode identification, and also can be used to follow the phase noise.

Reference information, taken from the reference sequence, is transmitted in scattered pilot cells in every symbol except the preamble, FSS and FES of the frame. Continual pilots are inserted in every symbol of the frame. The number and location of continual pilots depends on both the FFT size and the scattered pilot pattern. The edge carriers are edge pilots in every symbol except for the preamble symbol. They are inserted in order to allow frequency interpolation up to the edge of the spectrum. FSS pilots are inserted in FSS(s) and FES pilots are inserted in FES. They are inserted in order to allow time interpolation up to the edge of the frame.

The system according to an embodiment of the present invention supports the SFN network, where distributed MISO scheme is optionally used to support very robust transmission mode. The 2D-eSFN is a distributed MISO scheme that uses multiple TX antennas, each of which is located in the different transmitter site in the SFN network.

The 2D-eSFN encoding block 8010 can process a 2D-eSFN processing to distorts the phase of the signals transmitted from multiple transmitters, in order to create both time and frequency diversity in the SFN configuration. Hence, burst errors due to low flat fading or deep-fading for a long time can be mitigated.

The IFFT block 8020 can modulate the output from the 2D-eSFN encoding block 8010 using OFDM modulation scheme. Any cell in the data symbols which has not been designated as a pilot (or as a reserved tone) carries one of the data cells from the frequency interleaver. The cells are mapped to OFDM carriers.

The PAPR reduction block 8030 can perform a PAPR reduction on input signal using various PAPR reduction algorithm in the time domain.

The guard interval insertion block 8040 can insert guard intervals and the preamble insertion block 8050 can insert preamble in front of the signal. Details of a structure of the preamble will be described later. The other system insertion block 8060 can multiplex signals of a plurality of broadcast transmission/reception systems in the time domain such that data of two or more different broadcast transmission/reception systems providing broadcast services can be simultaneously transmitted in the same RF signal bandwidth. In this case, the two or more different broadcast transmission/reception systems refer to systems providing different broadcast services. The different broadcast services may refer to a terrestrial broadcast service, mobile broadcast service, etc. Data related to respective broadcast services can be transmitted through different frames.

The DAC block 8070 can convert an input digital signal into an analog signal and output the analog signal. The signal output from the DAC block 7800 can be transmitted through multiple output antennas according to the physical layer profiles. A Tx antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention can have vertical or horizontal polarity.

The above-described blocks may be omitted or replaced by blocks having similar or identical functions according to design.

FIG. 9 illustrates a structure of an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The apparatus for receiving broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention can correspond to the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals for future broadcast services, described with reference to FIG. 1.

The apparatus for receiving broadcast signals for future broadcast services according to an embodiment of the present invention can include a synchronization & demodulation module 9000, a frame parsing module 9010, a demapping & decoding module 9020, an output processor 9030 and a signaling decoding module 9040. A description will be given of operation of each module of the apparatus for receiving broadcast signals.

The synchronization & demodulation module 9000 can receive input signals through m Rx antennas, perform signal detection and synchronization with respect to a system corresponding to the apparatus for receiving broadcast signals and carry out demodulation corresponding to a reverse procedure of the procedure performed by the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals.

The frame parsing module 9100 can parse input signal frames and extract data through which a service selected by a user is transmitted. If the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals performs interleaving, the frame parsing module 9100 can carry out deinterleaving corresponding to a reverse procedure of interleaving. In this case, the positions of a signal and data that need to be extracted can be obtained by decoding data output from the signaling decoding module 9400 to restore scheduling information generated by the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals.

The demapping & decoding module 9200 can convert the input signals into bit domain data and then deinterleave the same as necessary. The demapping & decoding module 9200 can perform demapping for mapping applied for transmission efficiency and correct an error generated on a transmission channel through decoding. In this case, the demapping & decoding module 9200 can obtain transmission parameters necessary for demapping and decoding by decoding the data output from the signaling decoding module 9400.

The output processor 9300 can perform reverse procedures of various compression/signal processing procedures which are applied by the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals to improve transmission efficiency. In this case, the output processor 9300 can acquire necessary control information from data output from the signaling decoding module 9400. The output of the output processor 8300 corresponds to a signal input to the apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals and may be MPEG-TSs, IP streams (v4 or v6) and generic streams.

The signaling decoding module 9400 can obtain PLS information from the signal demodulated by the synchronization & demodulation module 9000. As described above, the frame parsing module 9100, demapping & decoding module 9200 and output processor 9300 can execute functions thereof using the data output from the signaling decoding module 9400.

FIG. 10 illustrates a frame structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows an example configuration of the frame types and FRUs in a super-frame. (a) shows a super frame according to an embodiment of the present invention, (b) shows FRU (Frame Repetition Unit) according to an embodiment of the present invention, (c) shows frames of variable PHY profiles in the FRU and (d) shows a structure of a frame.

A super-frame may be composed of eight FRUs. The FRU is a basic multiplexing unit for TDM of the frames, and is repeated eight times in a super-frame.

Each frame in the FRU belongs to one of the PHY profiles, (base, handheld, advanced) or FEF. The maximum allowed number of the frames in the FRU is four and a given PHY profile can appear any number of times from zero times to four times in the FRU (e.g., base, base, handheld, advanced). PHY profile definitions can be extended using reserved values of the PHY_PROFILE in the preamble, if required.

The FEF part is inserted at the end of the FRU, if included. When the FEF is included in the FRU, the minimum number of FEFs is 8 in a super-frame. It is not recommended that FEF parts be adjacent to each other.

One frame is further divided into a number of OFDM symbols and a preamble. As shown in (d), the frame comprises a preamble, one or more frame signaling symbols (FSS), normal data symbols and a frame edge symbol (FES).

The preamble is a special symbol that enables fast Futurecast UTB system signal detection and provides a set of basic transmission parameters for efficient transmission and reception of the signal. The detailed description of the preamble will be will be described later.

The main purpose of the FSS(s) is to carry the PLS data. For fast synchronization and channel estimation, and hence fast decoding of PLS data, the FSS has more dense pilot pattern than the normal data symbol. The FES has exactly the same pilots as the FSS, which enables frequency-only interpolation within the FES and temporal interpolation, without extrapolation, for symbols immediately preceding the FES.

FIG. 11 illustrates a signaling hierarchy structure of the frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates the signaling hierarchy structure, which is split into three main parts: the preamble signaling data 11000, the PLS1 data 11010 and the PLS2 data 11020. The purpose of the preamble, which is carried by the preamble symbol in every frame, is to indicate the transmission type and basic transmission parameters of that frame. The PLS1 enables the receiver to access and decode the PLS2 data, which contains the parameters to access the DP of interest. The PLS2 is carried in every frame and split into two main parts: PLS2-STAT data and PLS2-DYN data. The static and dynamic portion of PLS2 data is followed by padding, if necessary.

FIG. 12 illustrates preamble signaling data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Preamble signaling data carries 21 bits of information that are needed to enable the receiver to access PLS data and trace DPs within the frame structure. Details of the preamble signaling data are as follows:

PHY_PROFILE: This 3-bit field indicates the PHY profile type of the current frame. The mapping of different PHY profile types is given in below table 5.

TABLE 5 Signaling K_(ldpc) code Type K_(sig) K_(bch) N_(bch) _(—) _(parity) (=N_(bch)) N_(ldpc) N_(ldpc) _(—) _(parity) rate Q_(ldpc) PLS1 342 1020 60 1080 4320 3240 1/4  36 PLS2 <1021 >1020 2100 2160 7200 5040 3/10 56

FFT_SIZE: This 2 bit field indicates the FFT size of the current frame within a frame-group, as described in below table 6.

TABLE 6 Value FFT size 00 8K FFT 01 16K FFT 10 32K FFT 11 Reserved

GI_FRACTION: This 3 bit field indicates the guard interval fraction value in the current super-frame, as described in below table 7.

TABLE 7 Value GI_FRACTION 000 ⅕  001 1/10 010 1/20 011 1/40 100 1/80 101   1/160 110~111 Reserved

EAC_FLAG: This 1 bit field indicates whether the EAC is provided in the current frame. If this field is set to ‘1’, emergency alert service (EAS) is provided in the current frame. If this field set to ‘0’, EAS is not carried in the current frame. This field can be switched dynamically within a super-frame.

PILOT_MODE: This 1-bit field indicates whether the pilot mode is mobile mode or fixed mode for the current frame in the current frame-group. If this field is set to ‘0’, mobile pilot mode is used. If the field is set to ‘1’, the fixed pilot mode is used.

PAPR_FLAG: This 1-bit field indicates whether PAPR reduction is used for the current frame in the current frame-group. If this field is set to value ‘1’, tone reservation is used for PAPR reduction. If this field is set to ‘0’, PAPR reduction is not used.

FRU_CONFIGURE: This 3-bit field indicates the PHY profile type configurations of the frame repetition units (FRU) that are present in the current super-frame. All profile types conveyed in the current super-frame are identified in this field in all preambles in the current super-frame. The 3-bit field has a different definition for each profile, as show in below table 8.

TABLE 8 Current Current Current PHY_PROFILE = PHY_PROFILE = Current PHY_PROFILE = ‘001’ ‘010’ PHY_PROFILE = ‘000’ (base) (handheld) (advanced) ‘111’ (FEF) FRU_CONFIGURE = Only base Only handheld Only advanced Only FEF 000 profile present profile present profile present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Handheld Base profile Base profile Base profile 1XX profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Advanced Advanced Handheld Handheld X1X profile profile profile profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = FEF FEF FEF Advanced XX1 present present present profile present

RESERVED: This 7-bit field is reserved for future use.

FIG. 13 illustrates PLS1 data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

PLS1 data provides basic transmission parameters including parameters required to enable the reception and decoding of the PLS2. As above mentioned, the PLS1 data remain unchanged for the entire duration of one frame-group. The detailed definition of the signaling fields of the PLS1 data are as follows:

PREAMBLE_DATA: This 20-bit field is a copy of the preamble signaling data excluding the EAC_FLAG.

NUM_FRAME_FRU: This 2-bit field indicates the number of the frames per FRU.

PAYLOAD_TYPE: This 3-bit field indicates the format of the payload data carried in the frame-group. PAYLOAD_TYPE is signaled as shown in table 9.

TABLE 9 Current Current Current PHY_PROFILE = PHY_PROFILE = Current PHY_PROFILE = ‘001’ ‘010’ PHY_PROFILE = ‘000’ (base) (handheld) (advanced) ‘111’ (FEF) FRU_CONFIGURE = Only base Only handheld Only advanced Only FEF 000 profile present profile present profile present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Handheld Base profile Base profile Base profile 1XX profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Advanced Advanced Handheld Handheld X1X profile profile profile profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = FEF FEF FEF Advanced XX1 present present present profile present

NUM_FSS: This 2-bit field indicates the number of FSS symbols in the current frame.

SYSTEM_VERSION: This 8-bit field indicates the version of the transmitted signal format. The SYSTEM_VERSION is divided into two 4-bit fields, which are a major version and a minor version.

Major version: The MSB four bits of SYSTEM_VERSION field indicate major version information. A change in the major version field indicates a non-backward-compatible change. The default value is ‘0000’. For the version described in this standard, the value is set to ‘0000’.

Minor version: The LSB four bits of SYSTEM_VERSION field indicate minor version information. A change in the minor version field is backward-compatible.

CELL_ID: This is a 16-bit field which uniquely identifies a geographic cell in an ATSC network. An ATSC cell coverage area may consist of one or more frequencies, depending on the number of frequencies used per Futurecast UTB system. If the value of the CELL_ID is not known or unspecified, this field is set to ‘0’.

NETWORK_ID: This is a 16-bit field which uniquely identifies the current ATSC network.

SYSTEM_ID: This 16-bit field uniquely identifies the Futurecast UTB system within the ATSC network. The Futurecast UTB system is the terrestrial broadcast system whose input is one or more input streams (TS, IP, GS) and whose output is an RF signal. The Futurecast UTB system carries one or more PHY profiles and FEF, if any. The same Futurecast UTB system may carry different input streams and use different RF frequencies in different geographical areas, allowing local service insertion. The frame structure and scheduling is controlled in one place and is identical for all transmissions within a Futurecast UTB system. One or more Futurecast UTB systems may have the same SYSTEM_ID meaning that they all have the same physical layer structure and configuration.

The following loop consists of FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH, FRU_GI_FRACTION, and RESERVED which are used to indicate the FRU configuration and the length of each frame type. The loop size is fixed so that four PHY profiles (including a FEF) are signaled within the FRU. If NUM_FRAME_FRU is less than 4, the unused fields are filled with zeros.

FRU_PHY_PROFILE: This 3-bit field indicates the PHY profile type of the (i+1)th (i is the loop index) frame of the associated FRU. This field uses the same signaling format as shown in the table 8.

FRU_FRAME_LENGTH: This 2-bit field indicates the length of the (i+1)th frame of the associated FRU. Using FRU_FRAME_LENGTH together with FRU_GI_FRACTION, the exact value of the frame duration can be obtained.

FRU_GI_FRACTION: This 3-bit field indicates the guard interval fraction value of the (i+1)th frame of the associated FRU. FRU_GI_FRACTION is signaled according to the table 7.

RESERVED: This 4-bit field is reserved for future use.

The following fields provide parameters for decoding the PLS2 data.

PLS2_FEC_TYPE: This 2-bit field indicates the FEC type used by the PLS2 protection. The FEC type is signaled according to table 10. The details of the LDPC codes will be described later.

TABLE 10 Current Current Current PHY_PROFILE = PHY_PROFILE = Current PHY_PROFILE = ‘001’ ‘010’ PHY_PROFILE = ‘000’ (base) (handheld) (advanced) ‘111’ (FEF) FRU_CONFIGURE = Only base Only handheld Only advanced Only FEF 000 profile present profile present profile present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Handheld Base profile Base profile Base profile 1XX profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Advanced Advanced Handheld Handheld X1X profile profile profile profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = FEF FEF FEF Advanced XX1 present present present profile present

PLS2_MOD: This 3-bit field indicates the modulation type used by the PLS2. The modulation type is signaled according to table 11.

TABLE 11 Current Current Current PHY_PROFILE = PHY_PROFILE = Current PHY_PROFILE = ‘001’ ‘010’ PHY_PROFILE = ‘000’ (base) (handheld) (advanced) ‘111’ (FEF) FRU_CONFIGURE = Only base Only handheld Only advanced Only FEF 000 profile present profile present profile present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Handheld Base profile Base profile Base profile 1XX profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Advanced Advanced Handheld Handheld X1X profile profile profile profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = FEF FEF FEF Advanced XX1 present present present profile present

PLS2_SIZE_CELL: This 15-bit field indicates Ctotal_partial_block, the size (specified as the number of QAM cells) of the collection of full coded blocks for PLS2 that is carried in the current frame-group. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

PLS2_STAT_SIZE_BIT: This 14-bit field indicates the size, in bits, of the PLS2-STAT for the current frame-group. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

PLS2_DYN_SIZE_BIT: This 14-bit field indicates the size, in bits, of the PLS2-DYN for the current frame-group. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

PLS2_REP_FLAG: This 1-bit flag indicates whether the PLS2 repetition mode is used in the current frame-group. When this field is set to value ‘1’, the PLS2 repetition mode is activated. When this field is set to value ‘0’, the PLS2 repetition mode is deactivated.

PLS2_REP_SIZE_CELL: This 15-bit field indicates Ctotal_partial_block, the size (specified as the number of QAM cells) of the collection of partial coded blocks for PLS2 carried in every frame of the current frame-group, when PLS2 repetition is used. If repetition is not used, the value of this field is equal to 0. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

PLS2_NEXT_FEC_TYPE: This 2-bit field indicates the FEC type used for PLS2 that is carried in every frame of the next frame-group. The FEC type is signaled according to the table 10.

PLS2_NEXT_MOD: This 3-bit field indicates the modulation type used for PLS2 that is carried in every frame of the next frame-group. The modulation type is signaled according to the table 11.

PLS2_NEXT_REP_FLAG: This 1-bit flag indicates whether the PLS2 repetition mode is used in the next frame-group. When this field is set to value ‘1’, the PLS2 repetition mode is activated. When this field is set to value ‘0’, the PLS2 repetition mode is deactivated.

PLS2_NEXT_REP_SIZE_CELL: This 15-bit field indicates Ctotal_full_block, The size (specified as the number of QAM cells) of the collection of full coded blocks for PLS2 that is carried in every frame of the next frame-group, when PLS2 repetition is used. If repetition is not used in the next frame-group, the value of this field is equal to 0. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

PLS2_NEXT_REP_STAT_SIZE_BIT: This 14-bit field indicates the size, in bits, of the PLS2-STAT for the next frame-group. This value is constant in the current frame-group.

PLS2_NEXT_REP_DYN_SIZE_BIT: This 14-bit field indicates the size, in bits, of the PLS2-DYN for the next frame-group. This value is constant in the current frame-group.

PLS2_AP_MODE: This 2-bit field indicates whether additional parity is provided for PLS2 in the current frame-group. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group. The below table 12 gives the values of this field. When this field is set to ‘00’, additional parity is not used for the PLS2 in the current frame-group.

TABLE 12 Current Current Current PHY_PROFILE = PHY_PROFILE = Current PHY_PROFILE = ‘001’ ‘010’ PHY_PROFILE = ‘000’ (base) (handheld) (advanced) ‘111’ (FEF) FRU_CONFIGURE = Only base Only handheld Only advanced Only FEF 000 profile present profile present profile present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Handheld Base profile Base profile Base profile 1XX profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Advanced Advanced Handheld Handheld X1X profile profile profile profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = FEF FEF FEF Advanced XX1 present present present profile present

PLS2_AP_SIZE_CELL: This 15-bit field indicates the size (specified as the number of QAM cells) of the additional parity bits of the PLS2. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

PLS2_NEXT_AP_MODE: This 2-bit field indicates whether additional parity is provided for PLS2 signaling in every frame of next frame-group. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group. The table 12 defines the values of this field

PLS2_NEXT_AP_SIZE_CELL: This 15-bit field indicates the size (specified as the number of QAM cells) of the additional parity bits of the PLS2 in every frame of the next frame-group. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

RESERVED: This 32-bit field is reserved for future use.

CRC_32: A 32-bit error detection code, which is applied to the entire PLS 1 signaling.

FIG. 14 illustrates PLS2 data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates PLS2-STAT data of the PLS2 data. The PLS2-STAT data are the same within a frame-group, while the PLS2-DYN data provide information that is specific for the current frame.

The details of fields of the PLS2-STAT data are as follows:

FIC_FLAG: This 1-bit field indicates whether the FIC is used in the current frame-group. If this field is set to ‘1’, the FIC is provided in the current frame. If this field set to ‘0’, the FIC is not carried in the current frame. This value is constant during the entire duration of the current frame-group.

AUX_FLAG: This 1-bit field indicates whether the auxiliary stream(s) is used in the current frame-group. If this field is set to ‘1’, the auxiliary stream is provided in the current frame. If this field set to ‘0’, the auxiliary stream is not carried in the current frame. This value is constant during the entire duration of current frame-group.

NUM_DP: This 6-bit field indicates the number of DPs carried within the current frame. The value of this field ranges from 1 to 64, and the number of DPs is NUM_DP+1.

DP_ID: This 6-bit field identifies uniquely a DP within a PHY profile.

DP_TYPE: This 3-bit field indicates the type of the DP. This is signaled according to the below table 13.

TABLE 13 Current Current Current PHY_PROFILE = PHY_PROFILE = Current PHY_PROFILE = ‘001’ ‘010’ PHY_PROFILE = ‘000’ (base) (handheld) (advanced) ‘111’ (FEF) FRU_CONFIGURE = Only base Only handheld Only advanced Only FEF 000 profile present profile present profile present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Handheld Base profile Base profile Base profile 1XX profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = Advanced Advanced Handheld Handheld X1X profile profile profile profile present present present present FRU_CONFIGURE = FEF FEF FEF Advanced XX1 present present present profile present

DP_GROUP_ID: This 8-bit field identifies the DP group with which the current DP is associated. This can be used by a receiver to access the DPs of the service components associated with a particular service, which will have the same DP_GROUP_ID.

BASE_DP_ID: This 6-bit field indicates the DP carrying service signaling data (such as PSI/SI) used in the Management layer. The DP indicated by BASE_DP_ID may be either a normal DP carrying the service signaling data along with the service data or a dedicated DP carrying only the service signaling data

DP_FEC_TYPE: This 2-bit field indicates the FEC type used by the associated DP. The FEC type is signaled according to the below table 14.

TABLE 14 Value FEC_TYPE 00 16K LDPC 01 64K LDPC 10~11 Reserved

DP_COD: This 4-bit field indicates the code rate used by the associated DP. The code rate is signaled according to the below table 15.

TABLE 15 Value Code rate 0000 5/15 0001 6/15 0010 7/15 0011 8/15 0100 9/15 0101 10/15  0110 11/15  0111 12/15  1000 13/15  1001~1111 Reserved

DP_MOD: This 4-bit field indicates the modulation used by the associated DP. The modulation is signaled according to the below table 16.

TABLE 16 Value Modulation 0000 QPSK 0001 QAM-16 0010 NUQ-64 0011 NUQ-256 0100 NUQ-1024 0101 NUC-16 0110 NUC-64 0111 NUC-256 1000 NUC-1024 1001~1111 reserved

DP_SSD_FLAG: This 1-bit field indicates whether the SSD mode is used in the associated DP. If this field is set to value ‘1’, SSD is used. If this field is set to value ‘0’, SSD is not used.

The following field appears only if PHY_PROFILE is equal to ‘010’, which indicates the advanced profile:

DP_MIMO: This 3-bit field indicates which type of MIMO encoding process is applied to the associated DP. The type of MIMO encoding process is signaled according to the table 17.

TABLE 17 Value MIMO encoding 000 FR-SM 001 FRFD-SM 010~111 reserved

DP_TI_TYPE: This 1-bit field indicates the type of time-interleaving. A value of ‘0’ indicates that one TI group corresponds to one frame and contains one or more TI-blocks. A value of ‘1’ indicates that one TI group is carried in more than one frame and contains only one TI-block.

DP_TI_LENGTH: The use of this 2-bit field (the allowed values are only 1, 2, 4, 8) is determined by the values set within the DP_TI_TYPE field as follows:

If the DP_TI_TYPE is set to the value ‘1’, this field indicates PI, the number of the frames to which each TI group is mapped, and there is one TI-block per TI group (NTI=1). The allowed PI values with 2-bit field are defined in the below table 18.

If the DP_TI_TYPE is set to the value ‘0’, this field indicates the number of TI-blocks NTI per TI group, and there is one TI group per frame (PI=1). The allowed PI values with 2-bit field are defined in the below table 18.

TABLE 18 Value Modulation 0000 QPSK 0001 QAM-16 0010 NUQ-64 0011 NUQ-256 0100 NUQ-1024 0101 NUC-16 0110 NUC-64 0111 NUC-256 1000 NUC-1024 1001~1111 reserved

DP_FRAME_INTERVAL: This 2-bit field indicates the frame interval (HUMP) within the frame-group for the associated DP and the allowed values are 1, 2, 4, 8 (the corresponding 2-bit field is ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘10’, or ‘11’, respectively). For DPs that do not appear every frame of the frame-group, the value of this field is equal to the interval between successive frames. For example, if a DP appears on the frames 1, 5, 9, 13, etc., this field is set to ‘4’. For DPs that appear in every frame, this field is set to ‘1’.

DP_TI_BYPASS: This 1-bit field determines the availability of time interleaver 5050. If time interleaving is not used for a DP, it is set to ‘1’. Whereas if time interleaving is used it is set to ‘0’.

DP_FIRST_FRAME_IDX: This 5-bit field indicates the index of the first frame of the super-frame in which the current DP occurs. The value of DP_FIRST_FRAME_IDX ranges from 0 to 31

DP_NUM_BLOCK_MAX: This 10-bit field indicates the maximum value of DP_NUM_BLOCKS for this DP. The value of this field has the same range as DP_NUM_BLOCKS.

DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE: This 2-bit field indicates the type of the payload data carried by the given DP. DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is signaled according to the below table 19.

TABLE 19 Value Modulation 0000 QPSK 0001 QAM-16 0010 NUQ-64 0011 NUQ-256 0100 NUQ-1024 0101 NUC-16 0110 NUC-64 0111 NUC-256 1000 NUC-1024 1001~1111 reserved

DP_INBAND_MODE: This 2-bit field indicates whether the current DP carries in-band signaling information. The in-band signaling type is signaled according to the below table 20.

TABLE 20 Value In-band mode 00 In-band signaling is not carried. 01 INBAND-PLS is carried only 10 INBAND-ISSY is carried only 11 INBAND-PLS and INBAND-ISSY are carried

DP_PROTOCOL_TYPE: This 2-bit field indicates the protocol type of the payload carried by the given DP. It is signaled according to the below table 21 when input payload types are selected.

TABLE 21 Value In-band mode 00 In-band signaling is not carried. 01 INBAND-PLS is carried only 10 INBAND-ISSY is carried only 11 INBAND-PLS and INBAND-ISSY are carried

DP_CRC_MODE: This 2-bit field indicates whether CRC encoding is used in the Input Formatting block. The CRC mode is signaled according to the below table 22.

TABLE 22 Value In-band mode 00 In-band signaling is not carried. 01 INBAND-PLS is carried only 10 INBAND-ISSY is carried only 11 INBAND-PLS and INBAND-ISSY are carried

DNP_MODE: This 2-bit field indicates the null-packet deletion mode used by the associated DP when DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is set to TS (‘00’). DNP_MODE is signaled according to the below table 23. If DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is not TS (‘00’), DNP_MODE is set to the value ‘00’.

TABLE 23 Value In-band mode 00 In-band signaling is not carried. 01 INBAND-PLS is carried only 10 INBAND-ISSY is carried only 11 INBAND-PLS and INBAND-ISSY are carried

ISSY_MODE: This 2-bit field indicates the ISSY mode used by the associated DP when DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is set to TS (‘00’). The ISSY_MODE is signaled according to the below table 24 If DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is not TS (‘00’), ISSY_MODE is set to the value ‘00’.

TABLE 24 Value ISSY mode 00 Not used 01 ISSY-UP 10 ISSY-BBF 11 reserved

HC_MODE_TS: This 2-bit field indicates the TS header compression mode used by the associated DP when DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is set to TS (‘00’). The HC_MODE_TS is signaled according to the below table 25.

TABLE 25 Value Header compression mode 00 HC_MODE_TS 1 01 HC_MODE_TS 2 10 HC_MODE_TS 3 11 HC_MODE_TS 4

HC_MODE_IP: This 2-bit field indicates the IP header compression mode when DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is set to IP (‘01’). The HC_MODE_IP is signaled according to the below table 26.

TABLE 26 Value Header compression mode 00 No compression 01 HC_MODE_IP 1 10~11 reserved

PID: This 13-bit field indicates the PID number for TS header compression when DP_PAYLOAD_TYPE is set to TS (‘00’) and HC_MODE_TS is set to ‘01’ or ‘10’.

RESERVED: This 8-bit field is reserved for future use.

The following field appears only if FIC_FLAG is equal to ‘1’:

FIC_VERSION: This 8-bit field indicates the version number of the FIC.

FIC_LENGTH_BYTE: This 13-bit field indicates the length, in bytes, of the FIC.

RESERVED: This 8-bit field is reserved for future use.

The following field appears only if AUX_FLAG is equal to ‘ l’:

NUM_AUX: This 4-bit field indicates the number of auxiliary streams. Zero means no auxiliary streams are used.

AUX_CONFIG_RFU: This 8-bit field is reserved for future use.

AUX_STREAM_TYPE: This 4-bit is reserved for future use for indicating the type of the current auxiliary stream.

AUX_PRIVATE_CONFIG: This 28-bit field is reserved for future use for signaling auxiliary streams.

FIG. 15 illustrates PLS2 data according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 illustrates PLS2-DYN data of the PLS2 data. The values of the PLS2-DYN data may change during the duration of one frame-group, while the size of fields remains constant.

The details of fields of the PLS2-DYN data are as follows:

FRAME_INDEX: This 5-bit field indicates the frame index of the current frame within the super-frame. The index of the first frame of the super-frame is set to ‘0’.

PLS_CHANGE_COUNTER: This 4-bit field indicates the number of super-frames ahead where the configuration will change. The next super-frame with changes in the configuration is indicated by the value signaled within this field. If this field is set to the value ‘0000’, it means that no scheduled change is foreseen: e.g., value ‘1’ indicates that there is a change in the next super-frame.

FIC_CHANGE_COUNTER: This 4-bit field indicates the number of super-frames ahead where the configuration (i.e., the contents of the FIC) will change. The next super-frame with changes in the configuration is indicated by the value signaled within this field. If this field is set to the value ‘0000’, it means that no scheduled change is foreseen: e.g. value ‘0001’ indicates that there is a change in the next super-frame.

RESERVED: This 16-bit field is reserved for future use.

The following fields appear in the loop over NUM_DP, which describe the parameters associated with the DP carried in the current frame.

DP_ID: This 6-bit field indicates uniquely the DP within a PHY profile.

DP_START: This 15-bit (or 13-bit) field indicates the start position of the first of the DPs using the DPU addressing scheme. The DP_START field has differing length according to the PHY profile and FFT size as shown in the below table 27.

TABLE 27 Value Header compression mode 00 No compression 01 HC_MODE_IP 1 10~11 reserved

DP_NUM_BLOCK: This 10-bit field indicates the number of FEC blocks in the current TI group for the current DP. The value of DP_NUM_BLOCK ranges from 0 to 1023

RESERVED: This 8-bit field is reserved for future use.

The following fields indicate the FIC parameters associated with the EAC.

EAC_FLAG: This 1-bit field indicates the existence of the EAC in the current frame. This bit is the same value as the EAC_FLAG in the preamble.

EAS_WAKE_UP_VERSION_NUM: This 8-bit field indicates the version number of a wake-up indication.

If the EAC_FLAG field is equal to ‘1’, the following 12 bits are allocated for EAC_LENGTH_BYTE field. If the EAC_FLAG field is equal to ‘0’, the following 12 bits are allocated for EAC_COUNTER.

EAC_LENGTH_BYTE: This 12-bit field indicates the length, in byte, of the EAC.

EAC_COUNTER: This 12-bit field indicates the number of the frames before the frame where the EAC arrives.

The following field appears only if the AUX_FLAG field is equal to ‘1’:

AUX_PRIVATE_DYN: This 48-bit field is reserved for future use for signaling auxiliary streams. The meaning of this field depends on the value of AUX_STREAM_TYPE in the configurable PLS2-STAT.

CRC_32: A 32-bit error detection code, which is applied to the entire PLS2.

FIG. 16 illustrates a logical structure of a frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As above mentioned, the PLS, EAC, FIC, DPs, auxiliary streams and dummy cells are mapped into the active carriers of the OFDM symbols in the frame. The PLS1 and PLS2 are first mapped into one or more FSS(s). After that, EAC cells, if any, are mapped immediately following the PLS field, followed next by FIC cells, if any. The DPs are mapped next after the PLS or EAC, FIC, if any. Type 1 DPs follows first, and Type 2 DPs next. The details of a type of the DP will be described later. In some case, DPs may carry some special data for EAS or service signaling data. The auxiliary stream or streams, if any, follow the DPs, which in turn are followed by dummy cells. Mapping them all together in the above mentioned order, i.e. PLS, EAC, FIC, DPs, auxiliary streams and dummy data cells exactly fill the cell capacity in the frame.

FIG. 17 illustrates PLS mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

PLS cells are mapped to the active carriers of FSS(s). Depending on the number of cells occupied by PLS, one or more symbols are designated as FSS(s), and the number of FSS(s) NFSS is signaled by NUM_FSS in PLS1. The FSS is a special symbol for carrying PLS cells. Since robustness and latency are critical issues in the PLS, the FSS(s) has higher density of pilots allowing fast synchronization and frequency-only interpolation within the FSS.

PLS cells are mapped to active carriers of the NFSS FSS(s) in a top-down manner as shown in an example in FIG. 17. The PLS1 cells are mapped first from the first cell of the first FSS in an increasing order of the cell index. The PLS2 cells follow immediately after the last cell of the PLS1 and mapping continues downward until the last cell index of the first FSS. If the total number of required PLS cells exceeds the number of active carriers of one FSS, mapping proceeds to the next FSS and continues in exactly the same manner as the first FSS.

After PLS mapping is completed, DPs are carried next. If EAC, FIC or both are present in the current frame, they are placed between PLS and “normal” DPs.

FIG. 18 illustrates EAC mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

EAC is a dedicated channel for carrying EAS messages and links to the DPs for EAS. EAS support is provided but EAC itself may or may not be present in every frame. EAC, if any, is mapped immediately after the PLS2 cells. EAC is not preceded by any of the FIC, DPs, auxiliary streams or dummy cells other than the PLS cells. The procedure of mapping the EAC cells is exactly the same as that of the PLS.

The EAC cells are mapped from the next cell of the PLS2 in increasing order of the cell index as shown in the example in FIG. 18. Depending on the EAS message size, EAC cells may occupy a few symbols, as shown in FIG. 18.

EAC cells follow immediately after the last cell of the PLS2, and mapping continues downward until the last cell index of the last FSS. If the total number of required EAC cells exceeds the number of remaining active carriers of the last FSS mapping proceeds to the next symbol and continues in exactly the same manner as FSS(s). The next symbol for mapping in this case is the normal data symbol, which has more active carriers than a FSS.

After EAC mapping is completed, the FIC is carried next, if any exists. If FIC is not transmitted (as signaled in the PLS2 field), DPs follow immediately after the last cell of the EAC.

FIG. 19 illustrates FIC mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

shows an example mapping of FIC cell without EAC and (b) shows an example mapping of FIC cell with EAC.

FIC is a dedicated channel for carrying cross-layer information to enable fast service acquisition and channel scanning. This information primarily includes channel binding information between DPs and the services of each broadcaster. For fast scan, a receiver can decode FIC and obtain information such as broadcaster ID, number of services, and BASE_DP_ID. For fast service acquisition, in addition to FIC, base DP can be decoded using BASE_DP_ID. Other than the content it carries, a base DP is encoded and mapped to a frame in exactly the same way as a normal DP. Therefore, no additional description is required for a base DP. The FIC data is generated and consumed in the Management Layer. The content of FIC data is as described in the Management Layer specification.

The FIC data is optional and the use of FIC is signaled by the FIC_FLAG parameter in the static part of the PLS2. If FIC is used, FIC_FLAG is set to ‘1’ and the signaling field for FIC is defined in the static part of PLS2. Signaled in this field are FIC_VERSION, and FIC_LENGTH_BYTE. FIC uses the same modulation, coding and time interleaving parameters as PLS2. FIC shares the same signaling parameters such as PLS2_MOD and PLS2_FEC. FIC data, if any, is mapped immediately after PLS2 or EAC if any. FIC is not preceded by any normal DPs, auxiliary streams or dummy cells. The method of mapping FIC cells is exactly the same as that of EAC which is again the same as PLS.

Without EAC after PLS, FIC cells are mapped from the next cell of the PLS2 in an increasing order of the cell index as shown in an example in (a). Depending on the FIC data size, FIC cells may be mapped over a few symbols, as shown in (b).

FIC cells follow immediately after the last cell of the PLS2, and mapping continues downward until the last cell index of the last FSS. If the total number of required FIC cells exceeds the number of remaining active carriers of the last FSS, mapping proceeds to the next symbol and continues in exactly the same manner as FSS(s). The next symbol for mapping in this case is the normal data symbol which has more active carriers than a FSS.

If EAS messages are transmitted in the current frame, EAC precedes FIC, and FIC cells are mapped from the next cell of the EAC in an increasing order of the cell index as shown in (b).

After FIC mapping is completed, one or more DPs are mapped, followed by auxiliary streams, if any, and dummy cells.

FIG. 20 illustrates a type of DP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

shows type 1 DP and (b) shows type 2 DP.

After the preceding channels, i.e., PLS, EAC and FIC, are mapped, cells of the DPs are mapped. A DP is categorized into one of two types according to mapping method:

Type 1 DP: DP is mapped by TDM

Type 2 DP: DP is mapped by FDM

The type of DP is indicated by DP_TYPE field in the static part of PLS2. FIG. 20 illustrates the mapping orders of Type 1 DPs and Type 2 DPs. Type 1 DPs are first mapped in the increasing order of cell index, and then after reaching the last cell index, the symbol index is increased by one. Within the next symbol, the DP continues to be mapped in the increasing order of cell index starting from p=0. With a number of DPs mapped together in one frame, each of the Type 1 DPs are grouped in time, similar to TDM multiplexing of DPs.

Type 2 DPs are first mapped in the increasing order of symbol index, and then after reaching the last OFDM symbol of the frame, the cell index increases by one and the symbol index rolls back to the first available symbol and then increases from that symbol index. After mapping a number of DPs together in one frame, each of the Type 2 DPs are grouped in frequency together, similar to FDM multiplexing of DPs.

Type 1 DPs and Type 2 DPs can coexist in a frame if needed with one restriction; Type 1 DPs always precede Type 2 DPs. The total number of OFDM cells carrying Type 1 and Type 2 DPs cannot exceed the total number of OFDM cells available for transmission of DPs: D _(DP1) +D _(DP2) ≦D _(DP)  Math Figure 2

where DDP1 is the number of OFDM cells occupied by Type 1 DPs, DDP2 is the number of cells occupied by Type 2 DPs. Since PLS, EAC, FIC are all mapped in the same way as Type 1 DP, they all follow “Type 1 mapping rule”. Hence, overall, Type 1 mapping always precedes Type 2 mapping.

FIG. 21 illustrates DP mapping according to an embodiment of the present invention.

shows an addressing of OFDM cells for mapping type 1 DPs and (b) shows an addressing of OFDM cells for mapping for type 2 DPs.

Addressing of OFDM cells for mapping Type 1 DPs (0, . . . , DDP1 1) is defined for the active data cells of Type 1 DPs. The addressing scheme defines the order in which the cells from the TIs for each of the Type 1 DPs are allocated to the active data cells. It is also used to signal the locations of the DPs in the dynamic part of the PLS2.

Without EAC and FIC, address 0 refers to the cell immediately following the last cell carrying PLS in the last FSS. If EAC is transmitted and FIC is not in the corresponding frame, address 0 refers to the cell immediately following the last cell carrying EAC. If FIC is transmitted in the corresponding frame, address 0 refers to the cell immediately following the last cell carrying FIC. Address 0 for Type 1 DPs can be calculated considering two different cases as shown in (a). In the example in (a), PLS, EAC and FIC are assumed to be all transmitted. Extension to the cases where either or both of EAC and FIC are omitted is straightforward. If there are remaining cells in the FSS after mapping all the cells up to FIC as shown on the left side of (a).

Addressing of OFDM cells for mapping Type 2 DPs (0, . . . , DDP2 1) is defined for the active data cells of Type 2 DPs. The addressing scheme defines the order in which the cells from the TIs for each of the Type 2 DPs are allocated to the active data cells. It is also used to signal the locations of the DPs in the dynamic part of the PLS2.

Three slightly different cases are possible as shown in (b). For the first case shown on the left side of (b), cells in the last FSS are available for Type 2 DP mapping. For the second case shown in the middle, FIC occupies cells of a normal symbol, but the number of FIC cells on that symbol is not larger than CFSS. The third case, shown on the right side in (b), is the same as the second case except that the number of FIC cells mapped on that symbol exceeds CFSS.

The extension to the case where Type 1 DP(s) precede Type 2 DP(s) is straightforward since PLS, EAC and FIC follow the same “Type 1 mapping rule” as the Type 1 DP(s).

A data pipe unit (DPU) is a basic unit for allocating data cells to a DP in a frame.

A DPU is defined as a signaling unit for locating DPs in a frame. A Cell Mapper 7010 may map the cells produced by the TIs for each of the DPs. A Time interleaver 5050 outputs a series of TI-blocks and each TI-block comprises a variable number of XFECBLOCKs which is in turn composed of a set of cells. The number of cells in an XFECBLOCK, Ncells, is dependent on the FECBLOCK size, Nldpc, and the number of transmitted bits per constellation symbol. A DPU is defined as the greatest common divisor of all possible values of the number of cells in a XFECBLOCK, Ncells, supported in a given PHY profile. The length of a DPU in cells is defined as LDPU. Since each PHY profile supports different combinations of FECBLOCK size and a different number of bits per constellation symbol, LDPU is defined on a PHY profile basis.

FIG. 22 illustrates an FEC structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 illustrates an FEC structure according to an embodiment of the present invention before bit interleaving. As above mentioned, Data FEC encoder may perform the FEC encoding on the input BBF to generate FECBLOCK procedure using outer coding (BCH), and inner coding (LDPC). The illustrated FEC structure corresponds to the FECBLOCK. Also, the FECBLOCK and the FEC structure have same value corresponding to a length of LDPC codeword.

The BCH encoding is applied to each BBF (Kbch bits), and then LDPC encoding is applied to BCH-encoded BBF (Kldpc bits=Nbch bits) as illustrated in FIG. 22.

The value of Nldpc is either 64800 bits (long FECBLOCK) or 16200 bits (short FECBLOCK).

The below table 28 and table 29 show FEC encoding parameters for a long FECBLOCK and a short FECBLOCK, respectively.

TABLE 28 BCH error LDPC correction Rate N_(ldpc) K_(ldpc) K_(bch) capability N_(bch) − K_(bch) 5/15 64800 21600 21408 12 192 6/15 25920 25728 7/15 30240 30048 8/15 34560 34368 9/15 38880 38688 10/15  43200 43008 11/15  47520 47328 12/15  51840 51648 13/15  56160 55968

TABLE 29 BCH error LDPC correction Rate N_(ldpc) K_(ldpc) K_(bch) capability N_(bch) − K_(bch) 5/15 64800 21600 21408 12 192 6/15 25920 25728 7/15 30240 30048 8/15 34560 34368 9/15 38880 38688 10/15  43200 43008 11/15  47520 47328 12/15  51840 51648 13/15  56160 55968

The details of operations of the BCH encoding and LDPC encoding are as follows:

A 12-error correcting BCH code is used for outer encoding of the BBF. The BCH generator polynomial for short FECBLOCK and long FECBLOCK are obtained by multiplying together all polynomials.

LDPC code is used to encode the output of the outer BCH encoding. To generate a completed Bldpc (FECBLOCK), Pldpc (parity bits) is encoded systematically from each Ildpc (BCH-encoded BBF), and appended to Ildpc. The completed Bldpc (FECBLOCK) are expressed as follow Math Figure. B _(ldpc) =[I _(ldpc) P _(ldpc) ]=[i ₀ ,i ₁ , . . . ,i _(K) _(ldpc) ⁻¹ ,p ₀ ,p ₁ , . . . p _(N) _(ldpc) _(−K) _(ldpc) ⁻¹]  Math Figure 3

The parameters for long FECBLOCK and short FECBLOCK are given in the above table 28 and 29, respectively.

The detailed procedure to calculate Nldpc−Kldpc parity bits for long FECBLOCK, is as follows:

1) Initialize the parity bits, p ₀ =p ₁ =p ₂ = . . . =p _(N) _(ldpc) _(−K) _(ldpc) ⁻¹=0  Math Figure 4

2) Accumulate the first information bit −i0, at parity bit addresses specified in the first row of an addresses of parity check matrix. The details of addresses of parity check matrix will be described later. For example, for rate 13/15: p ₉₈₃ =p ₉₈₃ ⊕i ₀ p ₂₈₁₅ =p ₂₈₁₅ ⊕i ₀ p ₄₈₃₇ =p ₄₈₃₇ ⊕i ₀ p ₄₉₈₉ =p ₄₉₈₉ ⊕i ₀ p ₆₁₃₈ =p ₆₁₃₈ ⊕i ₀ p ₆₄₅₈ =p ₆₄₅₈ ⊕i ₀ p ₆₉₂₁ =p ₆₉₂₁ ⊕i ₀ p ₆₉₇₄ =p ₆₉₇₄ ⊕i ₀ p ₇₅₇₂ =p ₇₅₇₂ ⊕i ₀ p ₈₂₆₀ =p ₈₂₆₀ ⊕i ₀ p ₈₄₉₆ =p ₈₄₉₆ ⊕i ₀  Math Figure 5

3) For the next 359 information bits, is, s=1, 2, . . . , 359 accumulate is at parity bit addresses using following Math Figure. {x+(s mod 360)×Q _(ldpc)} mod(N _(ldpc) −K _(ldpc))  Math Figure 6

where x denotes the address of the parity bit accumulator corresponding to the first bit i0, and Qldpc is a code rate dependent constant specified in the addresses of parity check matrix. Continuing with the example, Qldpc=24 for rate 13/15, so for information bit i1, the following operations are performed: p ₁₀₀₇ =p ₁₀₀₇ ⊕i ₁ p ₂₈₃₉ =p ₂₈₃₉ ⊕i ₁ p ₄₈₆₁ =p ₄₈₆₁ ⊕i ₁ p ₅₀₃₁ =p ₅₀₁₃ ⊕i ₁ p ₆₁₆₂ =p ₆₁₆₂ ⊕i ₁ p ₆₄₈₂ =p ₆₄₈₂ ⊕i ₁ p ₆₉₄₅ =p ₆₉₄₅ ⊕i ₁ p ₆₉₉₈ =p ₆₉₉₈ ⊕i ₁ p ₇₅₉₆ =p ₇₉₅₆ ⊕i ₁ p ₈₂₈₄ =p ₈₂₈₄ ⊕i ₁ p ₈₅₂₀ =p ₈₅₂₀ ⊕i ₁  Math Figure 7

4) For the 361st information bit i360, the addresses of the parity bit accumulators are given in the second row of the addresses of parity check matrix. In a similar manner the addresses of the parity bit accumulators for the following 359 information bits is, s=361, 362, . . . , 719 are obtained using the Math Figure 6, where x denotes the address of the parity bit accumulator corresponding to the information bit i360, i.e., the entries in the second row of the addresses of parity check matrix.

5) In a similar manner, for every group of 360 new information bits, a new row from addresses of parity check matrixes used to find the addresses of the parity bit accumulators.

After all of the information bits are exhausted, the final parity bits are obtained as follows:

6) Sequentially perform the following operations starting with i=1 p _(i) =p _(i) ⊕p _(i-1) ,i=1,2, . . . ,N _(ldpc) −K _(ldpc)−1  Math Figure 8

where final content of pi, i=0, 1, . . . Nldpc−Kldpc−1 is equal to the parity bit pi.

TABLE 30 Code Rate Q_(ldpc) 5/15 120 6/15 108 7/15 96 8/15 84 9/15 72 10/15  60 11/15  48 12/15  36 13/15  24

This LDPC encoding procedure for a short FECBLOCK is in accordance with t LDPC encoding procedure for the long FECBLOCK, except replacing the table 30 with table 31, and replacing the addresses of parity check matrix for the long FECBLOCK with the addresses of parity check matrix for the short FECBLOCK.

TABLE 31 Code Rate Q_(ldpc) 5/15 30 6/15 27 7/15 24 8/15 21 9/15 18 10/15  15 11/15  12 12/15  9 13/15  6

FIG. 23 illustrates a bit interleaving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The outputs of the LDPC encoder are bit-interleaved, which consists of parity interleaving followed by Quasi-Cyclic Block (QCB) interleaving and inner-group interleaving.

shows Quasi-Cyclic Block (QCB) interleaving and (b) shows inner-group interleaving.

The FECBLOCK may be parity interleaved. At the output of the parity interleaving, the LDPC codeword consists of 180 adjacent QC blocks in a long FECBLOCK and 45 adjacent QC blocks in a short FECBLOCK. Each QC block in either a long or short FECBLOCK consists of 360 bits. The parity interleaved LDPC codeword is interleaved by QCB interleaving. The unit of QCB interleaving is a QC block. The QC blocks at the output of parity interleaving are permutated by QCB interleaving as illustrated in FIG. 23, where Ncells=64800/η mod or 16200/η mod according to the FECBLOCK length. The QCB interleaving pattern is unique to each combination of modulation type and LDPC code rate.

After QCB interleaving, inner-group interleaving is performed according to modulation type and order (η mod) which is defined in the below table 32. The number of QC blocks for one inner-group, NQCB_IG, is also defined.

TABLE 32 Modulation type ηmod N_(QCB) _(—) _(IG) QAM-16 4 2 NUC-16 4 4 NUQ-64 6 3 NUC-64 6 6 NUQ-256 8 4 NUC-256 8 8 NUQ-1024 10 5 NUC-1024 10 10

The inner-group interleaving process is performed with NQCB_IG QC blocks of the QCB interleaving output. Inner-group interleaving has a process of writing and reading the bits of the inner-group using 360 columns and NQCB_IG rows. In the write operation, the bits from the QCB interleaving output are written row-wise. The read operation is performed column-wise to read out m bits from each row, where m is equal to 1 for NUC and 2 for NUQ.

FIG. 24 illustrates a cell-word demultiplexing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 shows a cell-word demultiplexing for 8 and 12 bpcu MIMO and (b) shows a cell-word demultiplexing for 10 bpcu MIMO.

Each cell word (c0,1, c1,1, . . . , cη mod-1,l) of the bit interleaving output is demultiplexed into (d1,0,m, d1,1,m . . . , d1,η mod-1,m) and (d2,0,m, d2,1,m . . . , d2,η mod-1,m) as shown in (a), which describes the cell-word demultiplexing process for one XFECBLOCK.

For the 10 bpcu MIMO case using different types of NUQ for MIMO encoding, the Bit Interleaver for NUQ-1024 is re-used. Each cell word (c0,l, c1,l, . . . , c9,l) of the Bit Interleaver output is demultiplexed into (d1,0,m, d1,l,m . . . , d1,3,m) and (d2,0,m, d2,l,m . . . , d2,5,m), as shown in (b).

FIG. 25 illustrates a time interleaving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

to (c) show examples of TI mode.

The time interleaver operates at the DP level. The parameters of time interleaving (TI) may be set differently for each DP.

The following parameters, which appear in part of the PLS2-STAT data, configure the TI:

DP_TI_TYPE (allowed values: 0 or 1): Represents the TI mode; ‘0’ indicates the mode with multiple TI blocks (more than one TI block) per TI group. In this case, one TI group is directly mapped to one frame (no inter-frame interleaving). ‘1’ indicates the mode with only one TI block per TI group. In this case, the TI block may be spread over more than one frame (inter-frame interleaving).

DP_TI_LENGTH: If DP_TI_TYPE=‘0’, this parameter is the number of TI blocks NTI per TI group. For DP_TI_TYPE=‘1’, this parameter is the number of frames PI spread from one TI group.

DP_NUM_BLOCK_MAX (allowed values: 0 to 1023): Represents the maximum number of XFECBLOCKs per TI group.

DP_FRAME_INTERVAL (allowed values: 1, 2, 4, 8): Represents the number of the frames IJUMP between two successive frames carrying the same DP of a given PHY profile.

DP_TI_BYPASS (allowed values: 0 or 1): If time interleaving is not used for a DP, this parameter is set to ‘1’. It is set to ‘0’ if time interleaving is used.

Additionally, the parameter DP_NUM_BLOCK from the PLS2-DYN data is used to represent the number of XFECBLOCKs carried by one TI group of the DP.

When time interleaving is not used for a DP, the following TI group, time interleaving operation, and TI mode are not considered. However, the Delay Compensation block for the dynamic configuration information from the scheduler will still be required. In each DP, the XFECBLOCKs received from the SSD/MIMO encoding are grouped into TI groups. That is, each TI group is a set of an integer number of XFECBLOCKs and will contain a dynamically variable number of XFECBLOCKs. The number of XFECBLOCKs in the TI group of index n is denoted by NxBLOCK_Group(n) and is signaled as DP_NUM_BLOCK in the PLS2-DYN data. Note that NxBLOCK_Group(n) may vary from the minimum value of 0 to the maximum value NxBLOCK_Group_MAX (corresponding to DP_NUM_BLOCK_MAX) of which the largest value is 1023.

Each TI group is either mapped directly onto one frame or spread over PI frames. Each TI group is also divided into more than one TI blocks (NTI), where each TI block corresponds to one usage of time interleaver memory. The TI blocks within the TI group may contain slightly different numbers of XFECBLOCKs. If the TI group is divided into multiple TI blocks, it is directly mapped to only one frame. There are three options for time interleaving (except the extra option of skipping the time interleaving) as shown in the below table 33.

TABLE 33 Modes Descriptions Option-1 Each TI group contains one TI block and is mapped directly to one frame as shown in (a). This option is signaled in the PLS2-STAT by DP_TI_TYPE = ‘0’ and DP_TI_LENGTH = ‘1’(N_(TI) = 1). Option-2 Each TI group contains one TI block and is mapped to more than one frame. (b) shows an example, where one TI group is mapped to two frames, i.e., DP_TI_LENGTH = ‘2’ (P_(I) = 2) and DP_FRAME_INTERVAL (I_(JUMP) = 2). This provides greater time diversity for low data- rate services. This option is signaled in the PLS2-STAT by DP_TI_TYPE = ‘1’. Option-3 Each TI group is divided into multiple TI blocks and is mapped directly to one frame as shown in (c). Each TI block may use full TI memory, so as to provide the maximum bit-rate for a DP. This option is signaled in the PLS2-STAT signaling by DP_TI_TYPE = ‘0’ and DP_TI_LENGTH = N_(TI), while P_(I) = 1.

In each DP, the TI memory stores the input XFECBLOCKs (output XFECBLOCKs from the SSD/MIMO encoding block). Assume that input XFECBLOCKs are defined as (d _(n,s,0,0) ,d _(n,s,0,1) , . . . ,d _(n,s,O,N) _(cells) ₋₁ ,d _(n,s,1,0) , . . . ,d _(n,s,1,N) _(cells) ₋₁ , . . . ,d _(n,s,N) _(xBLOCK—TI) _((n,s)-1,0) , . . . ,d _(n,s,N) _(xBLOCK—TI) _((n,s)-1,N) _(cells) ₋₁), where d_(n,s,r,q) is the qth cell of the rth XFECBLOCK in the sth TI block of the nth TI group and represents the outputs of SSD and MIMO encodings as follows

$d_{n,s,r,q} = \left\{ {\begin{matrix} {f_{n,s,r,q},} & {{the}\mspace{14mu}{output}\mspace{14mu}{of}\mspace{14mu}{SSD}\mspace{14mu}\ldots\mspace{14mu}{encoding}} \\ {g_{n,s,r,q},} & {{the}\mspace{14mu}{output}\mspace{14mu}{of}\mspace{14mu}{MIMO}\mspace{14mu}{encoding}} \end{matrix}.} \right.$

In addition, assume that output XFECBLOCKs from the time interleaver 5050 are defined as (h_(n,s,0),h_(n,s,1), . . . ,h_(n,s,i), . . . h_(n,s,N) _(xBLOCK—TI) _((n,s)×N) _(cells) ₋₁), where h_(n,s,i) is the ith output cell (for i=0, . . . , N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(n,s)×N_(cells)−1) in the sth TI block of the nth TI group.

Typically, the time interleaver will also act as a buffer for DP data prior to the process of frame building. This is achieved by means of two memory banks for each DP. The first TI-block is written to the first bank. The second TI-block is written to the second bank while the first bank is being read from and so on.

The TI is a twisted row-column block interleaver. For the sth TI block of the nth TI group, the number of rows N_(r) of a TI memory is equal to the number of cells N_(cells), i.e., N_(r)=N_(cells) while the number of columns N_(r) is equal to the number N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(n,s).

FIG. 26 illustrates the basic operation of a twisted row-column block interleaver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 (a) shows a writing operation in the time interleaver and FIG. 26(b) shows a reading operation in the time interleaver. The first XFECBLOCK is written column-wise into the first column of the TI memory, and the second XFECBLOCK is written into the next column, and so on as shown in (a). Then, in the interleaving array, cells are read out diagonal-wise. During diagonal-wise reading from the first row (rightwards along the row beginning with the left-most column) to the last row, N_(r) cells are read out as shown in (b). In detail, assuming z_(n,s,i) (i=0, . . . , N_(r)N_(c)) as the TI memory cell position to be read sequentially, the reading process in such an interleaving array is performed by calculating the row index R_(n,s,i), the column index C_(n,s,i), and the associated twisting parameter T_(n,s,i) as follows expression.

$\begin{matrix} {{{GENERATE}\left( {R_{n,s,i},C_{n,s,i}} \right)} = \left\{ {{R_{n,s,i} = {{mod}\left( {i,N_{r}} \right)}},{T_{n,s,i} = {{mod}\left( {{S_{shift} \times R_{n,s,i}},N_{c}} \right)}},{C_{n,s,i} = {{mod}\left( {{T_{n,s,i} + \left\lfloor \frac{i}{N_{r}} \right\rfloor},N_{c}} \right)}}} \right\}} & {{Math}\mspace{14mu}{Figure}\mspace{14mu} 9} \end{matrix}$

where S_(shift) is a common shift value for the diagonal-wise reading process regardless of N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(n,s) and it is determined by N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI) _(_) _(MAX) given in the PLS2-STAT as follows expression.

$\begin{matrix} {{for}\mspace{14mu}\left\{ {\begin{matrix} {{N_{{xBLOCK}\;\_\;{TI}\;\_\;{MA}\; X}^{\prime} = {N_{{xBLOCK}\;\_\;{TI}\;\_\;{MA}\; X} + 1}},} & {{{if}\mspace{14mu} N_{{xBLOCK}\;\_\;{TI}\;\_\;{MA}\; X}{mod}\; 2} = 0} \\ {{N_{{xBLOCK}\;\_\;{TI}\;\_\;{MA}\; X}^{\prime} = N_{{xBLOCK}\;\_\;{TI}\;\_\;{MA}\; X}},} & {{{if}\mspace{14mu} N_{{xBLOCK}\;\_\;{TI}\;\_\;{MA}\; X}{mod}\; 2} = 1} \end{matrix},{S_{shift} = \frac{N_{{xBLOCK}\;\_\;{TI}\;\_\;{MA}\; X}^{\prime} - 1}{2}}} \right.} & {{Math}\mspace{14mu}{Figure}\mspace{14mu} 10} \end{matrix}$

As a result, the cell positions to be read are calculated by a coordinate as z_(n,s,i)=N_(r)C_(n,s,i)+R_(n,s,i).

FIG. 27 illustrates an operation of a twisted row-column block interleaver according to another embodiment of the present invention.

More specifically, FIG. 27 illustrates the interleaving array in the TI memory for each TI group, including virtual XFECBLOCKs when N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(0,0)=3, N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(1,0)=6, N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(2,0)=5.

The variable number N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(n,s)=N_(r) will be less than or equal to N′_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI) _(_) _(MAX) Thus, in order to achieve a single-memory deinterleaving at the receiver side, regardless of N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(n,s), the interleaving array for use in a twisted row-column block interleaver is set to the size of N_(r)×N_(c)=N_(cells)×N′_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI) _(_) _(MAX) by inserting the virtual XFECBLOCKs into the TI memory and the reading process is accomplished as follow expression.

Math FIG. 11 p = 0; for i = 0;i < N_(cells)N′_(xBLOCK) _(—) _(TI)_MAX;i = i + l {GENERATE (R_(n,s,i),C_(n,s,i)); V_(i) = N_(r)C_(n,s,j) + R_(n,s,j)  if V_(i) < N_(cells)N_(xBLOCK)_TI(n,s)  {   Z_(n,s,p) = V_(i); p = p + l;   } }

The number of TI groups is set to 3. The option of time interleaver is signaled in the PLS2-STAT data by DP_TI_TYPE=‘0’, DP_FRAME_INTERVAL=′ 1′, and DP_TI_LENGTH=′1′, IJUMP=1, and PI=1. The number of XFECBLOCKs, each of which has Ncells=30 cells, per TI group is signaled in the PLS2-DYN data by NxBLOCK_TI(0,0)=3, NxBLOCK_TI(1,0)=6, and NxBLOCK_TI(2,0)=5, respectively. The maximum number of XFECBLOCK is signaled in the PLS2-STAT data by NxBLOCK_Group_MAX, which leads to.

FIG. 28 illustrates a diagonal-wise reading pattern of a twisted row-column block interleaver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

More specifically FIG. 28 shows a diagonal-wise reading pattern from each interleaving array with parameters of N′_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI) _(_) _(MAX)=7 and Sshift=(7−1)/2=3. Note that in the reading process shown as pseudocode above, if V_(i)≧N_(cells)N_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI)(n,s), the value of Vi is skipped and the next calculated value of Vi is used.

FIG. 29 illustrates interlaved XFECBLOCKs from each interleaving array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 illustrates the interleaved XFECBLOCKs from each interleaving array with parameters of N′_(xBLOCK) _(_) _(TI) _(_) _(MAX)=7 and Sshift=3.

A description will be given of a method by which a broadcast signal transmitter protects PLS data by encoding the same according to an embodiment of the present invention. The PLS provides the receiver with a means to access physical layer DPs. The PLS data consists of PLS1 data and PLS2 data.

PLS1 data provides basic transmission parameters including parameters required to enable the reception and decoding of the PLS2. PLS1 fields remain unchanged for the entire duration of one frame-group.

The PLS2 contains parameters that provide sufficient information for the receiver to decode the desired DP. The PLS2 signaling further consists of two types of parameters, PLS2-STAT and PLS2-DYN. The PLS2-STAT parameters are the same within a frame-group, while the PLS2-DYN parameters provide information that is specific for the current frame. The values of the PLS2-DYN parameters may change during the duration of one frame-group, while the size of fields remains constant.

The PLS1 and the static part of the PLS2 can be changed only on the border of two super-frames. In the in-band signaling, there is a counter indicating the next super-frame with changes in PLS1 or the static part of the PLS2 parameters. The receiver can locate the change boundary by checking the new PLS parameters from the FSS(s) in the first frame of the announced super-frame, where the indicated change applies.

FIG. 30 illustrates a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 30 shows another embodiment of the preamble insertion block 8050 described above. As shown in FIG. 30, the preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a Reed Muller encoder 17000, a data formatter 17010, a cyclic delay block 17020, an interleaver 17030, a DQPSK (Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying)/DBPSK (Differential Binary Phase Shift Keying) mapper 17040, a scrambler 17050, a carrier allocation block 17060, a carrier allocation table block 17070, an IFFT block 17080, a scrambled guard insertion block 17090 and a multiplexing block 17100. Each block may be modified according to designer or may not be included in the preamble insertion block. A description will be given of operation of each block.

The Reed Muller encoder 17000 may receive signaling information to be transmitted through a preamble and perform Reed Muller encoding of the input signaling information. When Reed Muller encoding is performed, signaling performance can be improved over conventional signaling using an orthogonal sequence.

The data formatter 17010 may receive bits of the Reed-Muller-encoded signaling information and perform formatting for repeating and arranging the input bits.

The DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 may map the formatted signaling information bits according to DBPSK or DQPSK and output the mapped signaling information.

When the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 maps the formatted signaling information bits according to DBPSK, the operation of the cyclic delay block 17020 may be skipped. The interleaver 17030 may receive the formatted signaling information bits, frequency-interleave the formatted signaling information bits and output interleaved data. In this case, the operation of the interleaver 17030 may be omitted according to designer.

When the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 maps the formatted signaling information bits according to DQPSK, the data formatter 17010 may output the formatted signaling information bits to the interleaver 17030 through a path I shown in FIG. 30. The cyclic delay block 17020 may cyclic-delay the formatted signaling information bits output from the data formatter 17010 and then output the delayed signaling information bits to the interleaver 17030 through a path Q shown in FIG. 30. When cyclic Q-delay is performed, performance in a frequency selective fading channel is improved.

The interleaver 17030 may perform frequency interleaving on the signaling information and cyclic Q-delayed signal information, input through the path I and path Q, and output interleaved information. In this case, the operation of the interleaver 17030 may be omitted according to designer.

The scrambler 17050 may receive the mapped signaling information output from the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 and multiply the signaling information by a scrambling sequence.

The carrier allocation block 17060 may arrange the signaling information processed by the scrambler 17050 in a predetermined carrier position using position information output from the carrier allocation table block 17070.

The IFFT block 17080 may transform carriers output from the carrier allocation block 17060 into an OFDM signal of the time domain.

The scrambled guard insertion block 17090 may insert a scrambled guard interval into the OFDM signal to generate a preamble. The scrambled guard insertion block 17090 according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate the scrambled guard interval by multiplying a guard interval in the form of a cyclic prefix by a scrambling sequence. The scrambled guard interval will be described later in detail. In the present invention, the scrambled guard interval can be referred to as a scrambled GI.

The scrambled guard insertion block 17090 may select the scrambling sequence according to whether an EAS message is inserted. The scrambled guard insertion block 17090 may determine whether to insert the EAS message using EAS flag information that indicates whether the EAS message is present in the preamble.

The multiplexing block 17100 may multiplex the output of the scrambled guard insertion block 17090 and a signal c(t) output from the guard sequence insertion block 8040 to output an output signal p(t). The output signal p(t) may be output from the preamble insertion block 8050 described above.

The preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention can improve signaling performance over conventional signaling using an orthogonal sequence by performing Reed Muller encoding and enhance performance in a frequency selective fading channel by performing cyclic Q-delay.

FIG. 31 illustrates preamble structures according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The upper side of FIG. 31 shows a structure of the normal preamble and at the bottom of FIG. 31 shows a structure of the robust preamble.

In the structure of the robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention, the normal preamble is repeated. Specifically, in the robust preamble structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, the normal preamble is repeated twice. The robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention is designed to detect and decode the preamble symbol under harsh channel conditions like mobile reception.

The normal preamble shown in the upper side of FIG. 31 may be generated by the preamble insertion block shown in FIG. 30. The robust preamble shown in the bottom of FIG. 31 may be generated by a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 32 or 21, which will be described later.

The normal preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a scrambled GI region and an OFDM data region. The scrambled GI region of the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a scrambled cyclic postfix or a scrambled cyclic prefix. The scrambled cyclic postfix may be located after an OFDM symbol, distinguished from a scrambled prefix and may be generated through the same process as used to generate the scrambled cyclic prefix, which will be described later. The process of generating the scrambled cyclic postfix may be modified according to designer.

The scrambled GI region shown in FIG. 31 may be generated by scrambling some or all OFDM symbols and used as a guard interval. The scrambled GI and OFDM data of the normal preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may have the same length. In FIG. 31, the scrambled GI and OFDM data have a length of N and the normal preamble has a length of 2N. N, which relates to the length of the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention, may refer to an FFT size.

The preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention is composed of 3 signaling fields, namely S1, S2 and S3. Each signaling field contains 7 signaling bits, and the preamble carries 21 signaling bits in total. Each signaling field is encoded with a first-order Reed Muller (64, 7) code.

The signaling fields according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the aforementioned signaling information. The signaling fields will be described in detail later.

The broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can detect a preamble through guard interval correlation using a guard interval in the form of a cyclic prefix even when frequency synchronization cannot be performed.

In addition, the guard interval in the form of a scrambled cyclic prefix according to an embodiment of the present invention can be generated by multiplying (or combining) an OFDM symbol by (or with) a scrambling sequence (or sequence). Furthermore, the guard interval in the form of a scrambled cyclic prefix according to an embodiment of the present invention can be generated by scrambling the OFDM symbol and the scrambling sequence. The scrambling sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention can be any type of signal according to designer.

The method of generating the guard interval in the form of a scrambled cyclic prefix according to an embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages.

Firstly, the preamble can be easily detected by discriminating the preamble from the normal OFDM symbol. The guard interval in the form of a scrambled cyclic prefix is generated through scrambling using the scrambling sequence, distinguished from the normal OFDM symbol, as described above. In this case, when the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention performs guard interval correlation, the preamble can be easily detected since a correlation peak according to the normal OFDM symbol is not generated and only a correlation peak according to the preamble is generated.

Secondly, when the guard interval in the form of a scrambled cyclic prefix according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, dangerous delay can be prevented. For example, when multipath interference having a delay corresponding to an OFDM symbol period Tu exists, since a correlation value according to multiple paths is present all the time when the broadcast signal reception apparatus performs guard interval correlation, preamble detection performance may be deteriorated. However, when the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention performs guard interval correlation, the preamble can be detected without being affected by a correlation value according to multiple paths since only a peak according to the scrambled cyclic prefix is generated, as described above.

Finally, influence of continuous wave (CW) interference can be prevented. When a received signal includes CW interference, a DC component according to CW is present all the time during guard interval correlation performed by the broadcast signal reception apparatus and thus signal detection performance and synchronization performance of the broadcast signal reception apparatus may be deteriorated. However, when the guard interval in the form of a scrambled cyclic prefix according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, the influence of CW can be prevented since the DC component according to CW is averaged out by the scrambling sequence.

The robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention has repeated normal preambles, as shown in the bottom of FIG. 31. Accordingly, the robust preamble may include the scrambled GI region and the OFDM data region.

The robust preamble is a kind of repetition of the normal preamble, and carries the same signaling fields S1, S2 and S3 with a different signaling scrambler sequence (SSS).

The first half of the robust preamble, shown in the bottom of FIG. 31, is exactly the same as the normal preamble. The second half of the robust preamble is a simple variation of the normal preamble where the difference arises from the sequence SSS applied in the frequency domain. Accordingly, the second half of the robust preamble includes the same information as that of the normal preamble but may have different data in the frequency domain. In addition, OFDM data B has the same signaling data as OFDM data A but may have a different output waveform in the time domain. That is, while inputs of the Reed Muller encoder 17000 for respectively generating the first half of the robust preamble and the second half of the robust preamble are identical, the IFFT block 17080 may output different waveforms.

The doubled length of the robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention improves the detection performance in the time domain, and the repetition of the signaling fields improves the decoding performance for the preamble signaling data. The generation process of the robust preamble symbol is shown in FIG. 31. The detailed functional steps are described in the following description.

The signaling fields will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 37, 38 and 39 and the robust preamble generation process will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 20 and 21.

The robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention can be detected even by a normal reception apparatus in an environment having a high SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) since the robust preamble includes the normal preamble structure. In an environment having a low SNR, the robust preamble can be detected using the repeated structure. In FIG. 31(b), the robust preamble has a length of 4N.

When the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a signal frame including the robust preamble, the broadcast signal reception apparatus can stably detect the preamble to decode signaling information even in a low SNR situation.

FIGS. 32 and 33 illustrate two methods for generating the robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention. The robust preamble structure according to an embodiment of the present invention improves the detection performance of signals of a broadcast reception apparatus. The robust preamble may include structure of normal preamble. The robust preamble may additionally include repeated signaling data same as the normal preamble. In this case, the signals of a broadcast transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can design differently repeated signaling data of waveform which is included the robust preamble in time domain than signaling data of waveform which is included the normal preamble in time domain. A robust preamble insertion block illustrated in FIG. 32 may generate the robust preamble by multiplying signaling information of the preamble by different scrambling sequences in scramblers to output multiple pieces of scrambled signaling information and allocating the multiple pieces of scrambled signaling information multiplied by the scrambling sequences to OFDM symbol carriers on the basis of the same carrier allocation table.

A robust preamble insertion block illustrated in FIG. 33 may generate the robust preamble by multiplying preamble signaling information by the same scrambling sequence and allocating the preamble signaling information multiplied by the scrambling sequence to OFDM symbol carriers on the basis of different carrier allocation tables.

Detailed embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures.

FIG. 32 illustrates a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 32 shows another embodiment of the preamble insertion block 8050 described above. The preamble insertion block shown in FIG. 32 may generate the robust preamble. Referring to FIG. 32, the preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a Reed Muller encoder 17000, a data formatter 17010, a cyclic delay block 17020, an interleaver 17030, a DQPSK (Differential Quadrature Phase shift Keying)/DBPSK (Differential Binary Phase Shift Keying) mapper 17040, a scrambler 17050, a carrier allocation block 17060, a carrier allocation table block 17070, an IFFT block 17080, a scrambled guard insertion block 17090 and a multiplexing block 17100. Each block may be modified or may not be included in the preamble insertion block according to designer. Operations of the blocks may be the same as those of corresponding blocks shown in FIG. 30. A description will be given focusing on a difference between the robust preamble generation process and the normal preamble generation process.

As described above, the robust preamble is composed of the first half of the robust preamble and the second half of the robust preamble and the first half of the robust preamble may be the same as the normal preamble.

Robust preamble generation differs from normal preamble generation only by applying the sequence SSS in the frequency domain as described. Consequently, the Reed Muller encoder 17000, the data formatter 17010 and the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper block 17040 are shared with the normal preamble generation.

The first half of the robust preamble may be generated through the same process as used to generate the normal preamble. In FIG. 32, OFDM data A of the first half of the robust preamble may be generated by scrambling signalling data input to the Reed Muller encoder 17000 through a scrambler A block 17050-1, a carrier allocation block 17060-1 and an IFFT module, allocating the scrambled data to active carriers and transforming carriers output from the carrier allocation block 17060-1 into an OFDM signal of the time domain.

OFDM data B of the second half of the robust preamble may be generated by scrambling signalling data input to the Reed Muller encoder 17000 through a scrambler B block 17050-2, a carrier allocation block 17060-2 and an IFFT module, allocating the scrambled data to active carriers and transforming carriers output from the carrier allocation block 17060-2 into an OFDM signal of the time domain.

The carrier allocation blocks 17060-1 and 17060-2 according to an embodiment of the present invention can allocate the signaling data of the first half of the robust preamble and the signaling data of the second half of the robust preamble to carriers on the basis of the same allocation table.

Scrambled guard insertion modules may respectively scramble OFDM data A and OFDM data B respectively processed through the IFFT modules to generate scrambled GI A and scrambled GI B, thereby generating the first half of the robust preamble and the second half of the robust preamble.

FIG. 33 illustrates a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 33 shows another embodiment of the preamble insertion block 8050 described above. The preamble insertion block shown in FIG. 32 may generate the robust preamble. Referring to FIG. 33, the preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a Reed Muller encoder 17000, a data formatter 17010, a cyclic delay block 17020, an interleaver 17030, a DQPSK (Differential Quadrature Phase shift Keying)/DBPSK (Differential Binary Phase Shift Keying) mapper 17040, a scrambler 17050, a carrier allocation block 17060, a carrier allocation table block 17070, an IFFT block 17080, a scrambled guard insertion block 17090 and a multiplexing block 17100. Each block may be modified or may not be included in the preamble insertion block according to designer. Operations of the blocks may be the same as those of corresponding blocks shown in FIG. 30.

A description will be given focusing on a difference between the robust preamble generation process and the robust preamble generation process of FIG. 32.

The procedure of processing signaling data of the robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention through the Reed Muller encoder, data formatter, cyclic delay, interleaver, DQPSK/DBPSK mapper and scrambler modules may correspond to the aforementioned procedure of processing the signaling data of the normal preamble through the respective modules.

The signaling data scrambled by the scrambler module may be input to a carrier allocation A module and a carrier allocation B module. The signaling information input to the carrier allocation A module and the carrier allocation B module may be represented as p[n] (n being a integer greater than 0). Here, p[n] may be represented as p[0] to p[N−1] (N being the number of carriers to which all signaling information is allocated (or arranged). The carrier allocation A module and the carrier allocation B module may allocate (or arrange) the signaling information p[n] to carriers on the basis of different carrier allocation tables.

For example, the carrier allocation A module can respectively allocate p[0], p[1] and p[N−1] to the first, second and N-th carriers. The carrier allocation B module can respectively allocate p[N−1], p[N−2], p[N−3] and p[0] to the first, second, third and N-th carriers.

The preamble insertion blocks illustrated in FIGS. 32 and 33 can generate the first half of the robust preamble and the second half of the robust preamble using different scrambling sequences or using the same scrambling sequence and different carrier allocation schemes. Signal waveforms of the first half and the second half of the robust preamble generated according to an embodiment of the present invention may differ from each other. Accordingly, data offset due to a multipath channel is not generated even when the same signaling information is repeatedly transmitted in the time domain.

FIG. 34 is a graph showing a scrambling sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This graph shows a waveform of a binary chirp-like sequence. The binary chirp-like sequence is an embodiment of a signal that can be used as a scrambling sequence of the present invention. The binary chirp-like sequence is a sequence which is quantized such that the real part and imaginary part of each signal value respectively have only ‘1’ and ‘−1’. The binary chirp-like sequence shown in FIG. 34 is composed of a plurality of square waves having different periods and a sequence period is 1024 according to an embodiment.

The binary chirp-like sequence has the following advantages. Firstly, the binary chirp-like sequence does not generate dangerous delay since the binary chirp-like sequence is composed of signals having different periods. Secondly, the binary chirp-like sequence provides correct symbol timing information compared to conventional broadcast systems since correlation characteristics are similar to those of guard interval correlation and is resistant to noise on a multipath channel compared to a sequence having delta-like correlation such as an m-sequence. Thirdly, when scrambling is performed using the binary chirp-like sequence, bandwidth is less increased compared to the original signal. Fourthly, the binary chirp-like sequence is a binary sequence and thus can be used to design a device having low complexity.

In the graph showing the waveform of the binary chirp-like sequence, the solid line represents a waveform corresponding to a real part and a dotted line represents an imaginary part. The waveforms of the real part and the imaginary part of the binary chirp-like sequence correspond to square waves.

FIG. 35 illustrates examples of scrambling sequences modified from the binary chirp-like sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The upper right corner of FIG. 35 shows a reversed binary chirp-like sequence obtained by reversely arranging the binary chirp-like sequence in the time domain.

The upper left of FIG. 35 shows a conjugated binary chirp-like sequence obtained by complex conjugating the binary chirp-like sequence. That is, the real part of the conjugated binary chirp-like sequence equals the real part of the binary chirp-like sequence and the imaginary part of the conjugated binary chirp-like sequence equals the imaginary part of the binary chirp-like sequence in terms of absolute value and is opposite to the imaginary part of the binary chirp-like sequence in terms of sign.

At the bottom right of FIG. 35 shows a cyclically-shifted binary chirp-like sequence obtained by cyclically shifting the binary chirp-like sequence by a half period, that is, 512.

At the bottom left of FIG. 35 shows a half-negated sequence. A front half period, that is, 0 to 512 of the half-negated chirp-like sequence equals that of the binary chirp-like sequence and the real part and imaginary part of a rear half period, that is, 513 to 1024 of the half-negated chirp-like sequence equals that of the binary chirp-like sequence in terms of absolute value and is opposite to the binary chirp-like sequence in terms of sign.

The average of the above-described scrambling sequence is 0. Even when a continuous wave interference is generated in a signal and thus a complex DC is present in an output of a differential decoder of the broadcast signal reception apparatus, the scrambling sequence having an average of 0 can be multiplied by the complex DC of the output of the differential decoder to prevent the complex DC from affecting signal detection performance.

The broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can use the scrambling sequences shown in FIGS. 34 and 35 differently according to whether the EAS message is included in the preamble. For example, when the broadcast signal transmission apparatus does not include the EAS message in the preamble, the guard interval of the preamble can be scrambled using the scrambling sequence of FIG. 34. When the broadcast signal transmission apparatus includes the EAS message in the preamble, the guard interval of the preamble can be scrambled using one of the scrambling sequences of FIG. 35.

The scrambling sequences shown in the figures are exemplary and may be modified according to designer.

FIG. 37 illustrates a signaling information structure in the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 37 shows the structure of signaling information transmitted through the preamble in the frequency domain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37 illustrates repetition or arrangement of data by the data formatter 17010 according to the length of a code block of Reed Muller encoding performed by the Reed Muller encoder 17000. The code block of Reed Muller encoding may be referred to as a Reed Muller FEC block.

The data formatter 17010 may repeat or arrange the signaling information output from the Reed Muller encoder 17000 according to the length of the code block such that the signaling information corresponds to the number of active carriers. FIG. 37 shows an embodiment in which the number of active carriers is 384.

Accordingly, when the Reed Muller encoder 17000 performs Reed Muller encoding on a 64-bit block, as shown in the upper side of FIG. 37, the data formatter 17010 can repeat the same data six times. In this case, the Reed Muller encoder 17000 can use a 1st order Reed Muller code and signaling information of each Reed Muller code may be 7 bits.

When the Reed Muller encoder 17000 performs Reed Muller encoding on a 256-bit block, as shown in the middle of FIG. 37, the data formatter 17010 can repeat front 128 bits or rear 128 bits of the 256-bit code block or repeat even-numbered 128 bits or odd-numbered 128 bits of the 256-bit code block to arrange data as 384 bits. In this case, the Reed Muller encoder 17000 can use a 1st order Reed Muller code and signaling information of each Reed Muller code may be 9 bits.

As described above, the signaling information formatted by the data formatter 17010 may be processed through the cyclic delay block 17020 and the interleaver 17030 or not, mapped through the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040, scrambled by the scrambler 17050 and then input to the carrier allocation block 17060.

At the bottom of FIG. 37 illustrates a method for allocating the signaling information to active carriers through the carrier allocation block 17060 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the bottom of FIG. 37, b(n) (n being an integer equal to or greater than 0) represents carriers to which data is allocated. In one embodiment, the number of carriers is 384. Colored carriers from among the carriers shown in the bottom of FIG. 37 denote active carriers and uncolored carriers denote null carriers. Positions of the active carriers shown in the bottom of FIG. 37 may be changed according to designer.

FIG. 38 illustrates a procedure of processing signaling data transmitted through the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The signaling data transmitted through the preamble may include a plurality of signaling sequences. Each signaling sequence may be 7 bits. The number and size of the signaling sequences may be changed according to designer.

The upper side of FIG. 38 shows a procedure of processing the signaling data transmitted through the preamble when the signaling data is 14 bits according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the signaling data transmitted through the preamble may include two signaling sequences which may be referred to as signaling 1 and signaling 2. Signaling 1 and signaling 2 may be the same signaling sequences as the aforementioned signaling sequences S1 and S2.

At the bottom of FIG. 38 shows a procedure of processing the signaling data transmitted through the preamble when the signaling data is 21 bits according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the signaling data transmitted through the preamble may include three signaling sequences which may be referred to as signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3. Signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3 may be the same signaling sequences as the aforementioned signaling sequences S1, S2 and S3.

As shown in FIG. 38, the interleaving block 17030 according to an embodiment of the present invention may sequentially alternately assign S1 and S2 to active carriers.

The number of carriers is 384 and the carriers may be represented by sequential numerals starting from 0 in one embodiment. Accordingly, the first carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention can be represented by b(0), as shown in FIG. 38). Uncolored active carriers shown in FIG. 38 denote null carriers to which S1, S2 or S3 is not arranged (or allocated).

A detailed description will be given of assignment of signaling information to signaling fields and active carriers.

Bit sequences of S1 and bit sequences of S2 according to an embodiment of the present invention are signaling sequences which may be allocated to active carriers in order to transmit independent signaling information (or signaling fields) included in the preamble.

Specifically, S1 can carry 3-bit signaling information and can be configured in a structure in which a 64-bit sequence is repeated twice. In addition, S1 can be arranged before and after S2. S2 is a 256-bit sequence and can carry 4-bit signaling information. The bit sequences of S1 and S2 of the present invention may be represented by sequential numerals starting from 0 according to one embodiment. Accordingly, the first bit sequence of S1 can be represented as S1(0) and the first bit sequence of S2 can be represented as S2(0). Representation of the bit sequences may be changed according to designer.

S1 may carry information for identifying each signal frame included in the superframe described above with reference to FIG. 10, for example, information indicating an SISO-processed signal frame, MISO-processed signal frame or FEF. S2 may carry information about an FFT size of the current signal frame or information indicating whether frames multiplexed in one superframe are of the same type. Information carried through S2 may be changed according to designer.

Signaling 1 and signaling 2 may be respectively encoded into 64-bit Reed Muller codes by the aforementioned Reed Muller encoder. The upper side of FIG. 38 shows a Reed-Muller-encoded signaling sequence block.

The encoded signaling sequence blocks of signaling 1 and signaling 2 may be repeated three times by the aforementioned data formatter. The upper side of FIG. 38 shows the repeated signaling sequence block of signaling 1 and the repeated signaling sequence block of signaling 2. Since the Reed-Muller-encoded signaling sequence block is 64 bits, the signaling sequence block of each of signaling 1 and signaling 2, repeated three times, is 192 bits.

Data of signaling 1 and signaling 2, composed of 6 blocks, alternately rearranged, sequentially input to the cyclic delay block 17020 and the interleaver 17030 and processed therein or mapped by the DBPSK/DQPSK mapper 17040 without undergoing processing of the cyclic delay block 17020 and the interleaver 17030, and then allocated to 384 carriers by the aforementioned carrier allocation block. In the upper side of FIG. 38, b(0) may denote the first carrier and b(1) and b(2) may denote carriers. In one embodiment of the present invention, a total of 384 carriers b(0) to b(383) may be present. From among carriers shown in the figure, colored carriers denote active carriers and uncolored carriers denote null carriers. Active carriers represent carriers to which signaling data is allocated and null carriers represent carriers to which signaling data is not allocated. As described above, the data of signaling 1 and signaling 2 may be alternately allocated to carriers. For example, data of signaling 1 can be allocated to b(0), data of signaling 2 can be allocated to b(3) and data of signaling 1 can be allocated to b(7). The positions of the active carriers and null carriers may be changed according to designer.

The signaling information transmitted through the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may be transmitted through the bit sequences of S1, bit sequences of S2 and bit sequences of S3 as shown in the bottom of the FIG. 38.

S1, S2 and S3 according to an embodiment of the present invention are signaling sequences which can be allocated to active carriers in order to transmit independent signaling information (or signaling fields) included in the preamble.

Specifically, S1, S2 and S3 can respectively carry 3-bit signaling information and can be configured in a structure in which a 64-bit sequence is repeated twice. Accordingly, S1, S2 and S3 can further carry 2-bit signaling information compared to the embodiment of the bottom of FIG. 38.

In addition, S1 and S2 can carry the signaling information described with reference to FIG. 38 and S3 can carry signaling information about a guard interval length (or guard length). Signaling information carried through S1, S2 and S3 may be changed according to designer.

Data of signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3, composed of 6 blocks, is alternately rearranged, sequentially input to the cyclic delay block 17020 and the interleaver 17030 and processed thereby or mapped by the DBPSK/DQPSK mapper 17040 without undergoing processing of the cyclic delay block 17020 and the interleaver 17030, and then allocated to 384 carriers by the aforementioned carrier allocation block.

The bit sequences of S1, S2 and S3 may be represented by sequential numerals starting from 0, that is, m S1(0), . . . . Referring to the bottom of FIG. 38, the number of carriers is 384 and the carriers may be represented by sequential numerals starting from 0, that is b(0), . . . according to one embodiment of the present invention. The number and representation method of the carriers may be changed according to designer.

Referring to FIG. 39, S1, S2 and S3 may be sequentially alternately allocated to active carriers in determined positions in the frequency domain.

Specifically, the bit sequences of S1, S2 and S3 can be sequentially allocated to active carriers other than null carriers from among the active carriers b(0) to b(383).

Each of signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3 may be respectively encoded into a 64-bit Reed Muller code by the aforementioned Reed Muller encoder. FIG. 39 shows a Reed-Muller-encoded signaling sequence block.

The encoded signaling sequence blocks of signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3 may be repeated twice by the aforementioned data formatter. FIG. 39 shows the repeated signaling sequence block of signaling 1, the repeated signaling sequence block of signaling 2 and the repeated signaling sequence block of signaling 3. Since each Reed-Muller-encoded signaling block is 64 bits, the signaling sequence block of each of signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3, repeated twice, is 128 bits.

Signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3, composed of six blocks, may be allocated to 384 carriers by the aforementioned carrier allocation block. In FIG. 39, b(0) may be the first carrier and b(1) and b(2) may be other carriers. In one embodiment, 384 carriers b(0) to b(383) may be present. Colored carriers from among the carriers shown in the figure denote active carriers and uncolored carriers denote null carriers. Active carriers may be carriers to which signaling data is allocated and null carriers may be carriers to which signaling data is not allocated. Data of signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3 may be alternately allocated to carriers. For example, data of signaling 1 can be allocated to b(0), data of signaling 2 can be allocated to b(1), data of signaling 3 can be allocated to b(3) and data of signaling 1 can be allocated to b(7). The positions of the active carriers and null carriers shown in the figure may be changed according to designer.

FIG. 39 illustrates a procedure of processing signaling data transmitted through the preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 39 shows a procedure of processing signaling data transmitted through the preamble when the signaling data is 24 bits. In this case, the signaling data transmitted through the preamble may include three signaling sequences which may be referred to as signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3. Signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3 may be the same signaling sequences as the aforementioned signaling information S1, S2 and S3. The procedure of processing the signaling data is the same as the procedure described with reference to the bottom of FIG. 38.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 25 and 26, a signaling data capacity and a signaling data protection level can be traded off by controlling the length of an FEC-encoded signaling data block. That is, while the signaling data capacity increases as the length of the signaling data block increases, the number of repetitions of the data formatter decreases and the signaling data protection level is lowered. Accordingly, it is possible to select various signaling capacities.

Furthermore, the interleaver 17030 according to an embodiment of the present invention can uniformly interleave data of each signaling field in the frequency domain. Accordingly, frequency diversity characteristics of the preamble can be maximized and robustness against frequency selective fading can be improved.

FIG. 40 shows mathematical expressions representing relationships between input information and output information or mapping rules of the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The upper side of FIG. 40 shows mathematical expressions representing a relationship between input information and output information or a mapping rule when the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 according to an embodiment of the present invention maps the input signaling information according to DBPSK.

The bottom of FIG. 40 shows mathematical expressions representing a relationship between input information and output information or a mapping rule when the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 according to an embodiment of the present invention maps the input signaling information according to DQPSK.

As shown in FIG. 40, the input information of the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 may be represented as si[n] and sq[n] and the output information of the DQPSK/DBPSK mapper 17040 may be represented as mi[n] and mq[n] for convenience of description.

FIG. 41 illustrates a differential encoding operation that can be performed by a preamble insertion module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The preamble insertion module according to an embodiment of the present invention may repeat signaling information (S1, S2 and S3 represented as signaling 1, signaling 2 and signaling 3 in FIG. 41) twice. Then, the preamble insertion module may sequentially alternately arrange repeated bits of S1, S2 and S3. Alternatively, the data formatter according to an embodiment of the present invention may repeat and arrange the signaling information, as described above. Subsequently, the preamble insertion module may differential-encode consecutive bits (indicated by curved arrows in the figure). Alternatively, the data formatter or DQPSK/DBPSK mapper according to an embodiment of the present invention may differential-encode the consecutive bits, as described above. The preamble insertion module may scramble the differentially encoded signaling bits and sequentially alternately allocate the bits of S1, S2 and S3 to corresponding carriers. Alternatively, the carrier allocation module according to an embodiment of the present invention may scramble the differential encoded signaling bits and sequentially alternately allocate the bits of S1, S2 and S3 to the corresponding carriers.

FIG. 42 illustrates a differential encoding operation that can be performed by a preamble insertion module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Operations of the preamble insertion module according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 42 may correspond to the operations of the preamble insertion modules shown in FIG. 41. In addition, operations of the data formatter, DQPSK/DBPSK mapper and carrier allocation module which may be included in the preamble insertion module according to the present embodiment, shown in FIG. 42, may correspond to operations of modules which may be included in the preamble insertion module shown in FIG. 41.

However, order of the operations may be changed. Specifically, the preamble insertion module according to the present embodiment may repeat signaling information after differential encoding, distinguished from the operation of the preamble insertion module shown in FIG. 41. That is, the preamble insertion module can sequentially alternately arrange the unrepeated bits of S1, S2 and S3. Then, the preamble insertion module can perform differential encoding of the arranged consecutive bits (indicated by curved arrows in the figure). Then, the preamble insertion module may repeat the differentially encoded signaling bits and sequentially alternately allocate the repeated bits to corresponding carriers.

Operations of a signaling decoder of a preamble detector, which will be described later, may depend on the order of differential encoding and data repetition of the preamble insertion modules described with reference to FIGS. 41 and 42. Detailed operations of the signaling decoder will be described later.

FIG. 43 is a block diagram of a correlation detector included in a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 43 shows a configuration of the aforementioned preamble detector 9300 according to one embodiment, that is, a configuration of a preamble correlation detector for detecting the aforementioned robust preamble.

The preamble correlation detector according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a normal preamble correlation detector (represented as a normal preamble detector in FIG. 43) and a robust preamble correlation detector (represented as a robust preamble detector in FIG. 43).

The robust preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may have a structure in which the scrambled guard interval and data region are alternately arranged. The normal preamble correlation detector may obtain correlation of the first half of the robust preamble. The robust preamble correlation detector may obtain correlation of the second half of the robust preamble.

A description will be given of operation of the normal preamble correlation detector when the preamble received by the normal preamble correlation detector includes information related to the EAS message and the broadcast signal transmission apparatus uses the binary chirp-like sequence of FIG. 34 and the half-negated sequence of FIG. 35(d) to signal the information related to the EAS message through the preamble.

The normal preamble correlation detector may multiply signals (i) and (ii), obtained by delaying received signals (i) r(t) and (ii) r(t) by an FFT size, N, and conjugating the delayed signals, by each other.

The normal preamble correlation detector may generate the signal (ii) by conjugating r(t) and then delaying the conjugated r(t) by the FFT size, N. In FIG. 43, a block conj and a block ND (N Delay) can generate the signal (ii).

A complex N/2 correlator may output correlation between the signal obtained by multiplying (i) by (ii) and a scrambling sequence. As described above, the first half period N/2 of the half-negated sequence equals the first half period N/2 of the binary chirp-like sequence and the sign of the second half period of the half-negated sequence is opposite to the sign of the second half period N/2 of the binary chirp-like sequence. Accordingly, the sum of outputs of two complex N/2 correlators may be correlation with respect to the binary chirp-like sequence and a difference between the outputs of the two complex N/2 correlators may be correlation with respect to the half-negated sequence.

The robust preamble correlation detector may detect correlation on the basis of the two sequence correlations detected by the normal preamble detector. The robust preamble correlation detector may detect correlation of the binary chirp-like sequence by summing (i) correlation detected by the normal preamble detector and (ii) correlation obtained by delaying a sequence detected by the normal preamble detector by 2N.

The robust preamble correlation detector can detect correlation by delaying a sequence detected by the normal preamble detector by 2N corresponding to the length of OFDM data and scrambled GI since the robust preamble has a structure in which the OFDM data and scrambled GI are repeated twice.

Complex magnitude blocks of the normal preamble correlation detector and the robust preamble correlation detector may output complex magnitude values of correlations detected through correlators. A peak detector block may detect a peak of complex magnitude values of input correlations. The peak detector block may detect a preamble position from the detected peak and perform OFDM symbol timing synchronization and fractional frequency offset synchronization to output frame start information. In addition peak detector block may output information about preamble type, that is, the normal preamble or the robust preamble and information (EAS flag) about whether the preamble includes the EAS message.

FIG. 44 illustrates a signaling decoder of a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 44 shows an embodiment of the preamble detector 9300 described above, which can perform a reverse of the operation of the preamble insertion block shown in FIG. 30.

The preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a correlation detector, an FFT block, an ICFO estimator, a carrier allocation table block, a data extractor and a signaling decoder. Each block may be modified according to designer or may not be included in the preamble detector.

A description will be given of modules constituting the signaling decoder and operations thereof.

The signaling decoder may include a descrambler 30000, an average block 30010, a differential decoder 30020, a deinterleaver 30030, a cyclic delay block 30040, an I/Q combiner 30050, a data deformatter 30060 and a Reed Muller decoder 30070.

The descrambler 30010 may descramble received signaling data.

When the broadcast signal transmission apparatus repeats signaling information and then differential-encodes the repeated signaling information, as described with reference to FIG. 41, the average block 30010 can be omitted. The differential decoder 30020 may receive the descrambled signal and perform DBPSK or DQPSK demapping on the descrambled signal.

Alternatively, when the broadcast signal transmission apparatus differential-encodes signaling information and then repeats the differential encoded signaling information, as described with reference to FIG. 42, the average block 30010 may average corresponding symbols of the descrambled signaling data and then the differential decoder 30020 may perform DBPSK or DQPSK demapping on the averaged signal. The average block may calculate a data average on the basis of the number of repetitions of the signaling information.

A description will be given of detailed operation of the differential decoder 30020.

When a transmitter receives a DQPSK-mapped signal, the differential decoder 30020 may perform phase rotation by π/4 on the differential decoded signal. Accordingly, the differential decoded signal can be segmented into in-phase and quadrature components.

When the transmitter has performed interleaving, the deinterleaver 30030 may deinterleave the signal output from the differential decoder 30020.

When the transmitter has performed cyclic delay, the cyclic delay block 30040 may perform a reverse of the cyclic delay operation performed in the transmitter.

The I/Q combiner 30050 may combine I and Q components of the deinterleaved signal or delayed signal.

When the signal received from the transmitter has been DBPSK mapped, the I/Q combiner 30050 can output only the I component of the deinterleaved signal.

Then, the data deformatter 30060 may combine bits of signals output from the I/Q combiner 30050 per signaling field to output the signaling information. When the broadcast signal transmission apparatus repeats the signaling information and then differential encode the repeated signaling information, the data deformatter 30060 can average the bits of the signaling information.

Subsequently, the Reed Muller decoder 30070 may decode the signaling information output from the data deformatter 30060.

Accordingly, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can obtain the signaling information transmitted using the preamble through the aforementioned procedure.

FIG. 45 illustrates a signaling decoder of a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 45 shows an embodiment of the preamble detector 9300 described above, which can perform a reverse of the operation of the preamble insertion block shown in FIG. 32, that is, detect the robust preamble.

The preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a correlation detector, an FFT block, an ICFO estimator, a carrier allocation table block, a data extractor and a signaling decoder, as described above. Each block may be modified according to designer or may not be included in the preamble detector.

Modules constituting the signaling decoder and operations thereof will now be described.

The signaling decoder may include a descrambler A, a descrambler B, an average block, a differential decoder, a deinterleaver, a cyclic delay block, an I/Q combiner, a data deformatter and a Reed Muller decoder.

Operations of the descrambler A and descrambler B may correspond to the operation of the aforementioned descrambler 30000.

Operations of other modules may correspond to operations of the modules shown in FIG. 44.

The descrambler A and descrambler B according to an embodiment of the present invention may descramble OFDM data A and OFDM data B by multiplying the OFDM data A and OFDM data B by a scrambling sequence. Then, the signaling decoder may sum descrambled data output from the descrambler A and descrambler B. Subsequent operations of the signaling decoder may be identical to corresponding operations of the signaling decoder shown in FIG. 44.

FIG. 46 illustrates a signaling decoder of a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 46 shows an embodiment of the preamble detector 9300 described above, which can perform a reverse of the operation of the preamble insertion block shown in FIG. 33, that is, detect the robust preamble. The preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a correlation detector, an FFT block, an ICFO estimator, a carrier allocation table block, a data extractor and a signaling decoder. Each block may be modified according to designer or may not be included in the preamble detector.

Modules constituting the signaling decoder and operations thereof will now be described.

The signaling decoder may include a descrambler, an average block, a differential decoder, a deinterleaver, a cyclic delay block, an I/Q combiner, a data deformatter A, a data deformatter B and a Reed Muller decoder.

Operations of the data deformatter A and data deformatter B may correspond to the operation of the aforementioned data deformatter 30060. Operations of the descrambler, average block, differential decoder, deinterleaver, cyclic delay block and I/Q combiner may correspond to the operations of the modules shown in FIG. 44.

Specifically, the data deformatter A and data deformatter B may combine signaling information corresponding to OFDM data A or OFDM data B from among bits of signals output from the I/Q combiner per signaling field to output signaling information. Then, the signaling information combined per OFDM data output from the data deformatter A and data deformatter B and per signaling field are combined and input to the Reed Muller decoder module. The Reed Muller decoder module may decode the input signaling information.

FIG. 47 is a diagram showing a preamble structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An upper dashed box of FIG. 47 shows the structure of a normal preamble, and a lower dashed box of FIG. 47 shows the structure of an extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A description of the normal preamble of the upper dashed box of FIG. 47 may be the same as that given above in relation to FIGS. 30 and 31. Guard interval Scrambler Sequence indicated in the figure may refer to a scrambling sequence to be multiplied by a guard interval in the form of a cyclic prefix.

As described above, a preamble of a future broadcasting system can transmit basic transmission parameters necessary for the broadcast signal receiver. That is, the preamble is a special symbol that enables fast Futurecast UTB system signal detection and provides a set of basic transmission parameters for efficient transmission and reception of the signal. The basic transmission parameters necessary for the broadcast signal receiver may include FFT_SIZE, PILOT_MODE, etc. described above in relation to FIG. 12.

In the future broadcasting system, the throughput of the basic transmission parameters necessary for the broadcast signal receiver may be increased. In this case, the extended preamble structure represented by the lower dashed box of FIG. 47 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be used to extend data transmission capacity. The extended preamble may have a form in which a plurality of normal preambles are repeated. An extended preamble having a form in which two normal preambles are repeated is now described as an embodiment.

The extended preamble of the lower dashed box of FIG. 47 may include two OFDM data regions and two scrambled guard interval (GI) regions each having a length of N. That is, the length of the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may be 4N. This structure may be the same as that of the robust preamble described above in relation to FIG. 31. Accordingly, a description is now given mainly of the differences from the above-described robust preamble.

The two OFDM data regions included in the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., OFDM data A and OFDM data B, may transmit different signaling data. Accordingly, the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit signaling data corresponding to an integer multiple of the capacity of signaling data transmittable by the normal preamble and the robust preamble described above in relation to FIG. 31. For example, if the signaling data of the normal preamble is 21 bits, the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit signaling data of 42 bits.

The different signaling data transmitted by one of OFDM data A or OFDM data B may include version information of the future broadcasting system, category information of emergency event in the Emergency alert system. That is, the different signaling data according to an embodiment of the present invention is variable according to the intention of a designer.

Scrambler sequences (Guard interval Scrambler Sequence 1 and Guard interval Scrambler Sequence 2 in the figure) used to generate scrambled GIs (Scrambled GI A and Scrambled GI B in the figure) included in the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may be the same as or different from each other. The scrambler sequence may be the same as the scrambling sequence described above in relation to FIGS. 31 to 33.

FIG. 48 is a block diagram of a preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 48 is a block diagram of an extended preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention. Operations of sub-blocks thereof may be the same as those of the sub-blocks of the preamble insertion block described above in relation to FIGS. 30, 32 and 33. Accordingly, a description is now given mainly of the differences from operation of the above-described normal or robust preamble insertion block.

As illustrated in FIG. 48, the extended preamble insertion block may include Reed Muller encoders 17000, data formatters 17010, cyclic delay blocks 17020, interleavers 17030, differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK)/differential binary phase shift keying (DBPSK) mappers 17040, scramblers 17050, carrier allocation blocks 17060, a carrier allocation table block 17070, IFFT blocks 17080, scrambled guard insertion blocks 17090 and a multiplexing block 17100.

The extended preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention insertion may separately process signaling data1 and signaling data2 along independent paths. Accordingly, the extended preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may include each type of module in a plural number (2 in this embodiment) as illustrated in the figure. Alternatively, the extended preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may include each type of module in a singular number to sequentially process a plurality of different signaling data.

A plurality of different signaling data for an extended preamble may be processed by the Reed Muller encoders 17000, the data formatters 17010, the cyclic delay blocks 17020, the interleavers 17030 and the DQPSK/DBPSK mappers 17040 which operate in the same manner.

After that, Scrambler A and Scrambler B of the extended preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may use the same scrambler sequence or different scrambler sequences.

After that, the extended preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate an extended preamble by allocating signaling information of the preamble to OFDM symbol carriers based on the same carrier allocation table using the signaling data multiplexed by the scrambling sequence. Alternatively, although not shown in the figure, the extended preamble insertion block according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate an extended preamble by allocating signaling information of the preamble to OFDM symbol carriers based on different carrier allocation tables.

The scrambler sequence used to generate the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may be the scrambling sequence illustrated as graphs in FIGS. 34 and 35.

FIG. 49 is a detailed block diagram of a correlation detector in a preamble detector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, this figure corresponds to an embodiment of the above-described preamble detector 9300, and shows the structure of a preamble correlation detector for detecting the above-described extended preamble. Hereinafter, the preamble correlation detector for detecting the extended preamble is referred to as an extended preamble correlation detector. This figure shows an example of the extended preamble correlation detector in a case when the same scrambler sequence is applied to two preambles included in the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Operations of sub-blocks of the extended preamble correlation detector according to an embodiment of the present invention may be the same as those of the sub-blocks of the preamble correlation detector for detecting the robust preamble which are described above in relation to FIG. 43.

A detailed description is now given of operation of the extended preamble correlation detector in an exemplary case when a preamble received by the extended preamble correlation detector includes information about an EAS message, and the broadcast signal transmitter uses the above-described binary chirp-like sequence of FIG. 34 and the half-negated sequence of FIG. 35(d) to signal the information about the EAS message in the preamble.

The extended preamble correlation detector may multiply signals (i) and (ii) obtained by conjugating signals delayed from received signals (i) r(t) and (ii) r(t) by the size of FFT, N.

The extended preamble correlation detector may generate the signal (ii) by conjugating r(t) and then delaying the same by the size of FFT, N. In this figure, a conj block and an N delay (ND) block may generate the signal (ii).

After that, a complex N/2 correlator may output correlation between the signal obtained by multiplying (i) and (ii) and a scrambling sequence. As described above, a first half (N/2) of the half-negated sequence is the same as a first half (N/2) of the binary chirp-like sequence, and a second half (N/2) of the half-negated sequence is opposite-signed to a second half (N/2) of the binary chirp-like sequence. Accordingly, in this figure, a sum of outputs of two complex N/2 correlators may be correlation for the binary chirp-like sequence, and the difference between the outputs of the two complex N/2 correlators may be correlation for the half-negated sequence. Operation till now is the same as that of the above-described robust preamble correlation detector.

The extended preamble correlation detector may detect correlation based on the detected sequence correlations. The extended preamble correlation detector may detect correlation of the binary chirp-like sequence by summing (i) the sequence correlation corresponding to the sum of the outputs of the two complex N/2 correlators and (ii) sequence correlation delayed from the sequence correlation corresponding to the sum of the outputs of the two complex N/2 correlators, by 2N.

Likewise, the extended preamble correlation detector may detect correlation of the half-negated sequence by summing (i) the sequence correlation corresponding to the difference between the outputs of the two complex N/2 correlators and (ii) sequence correlation delayed from the sequence correlation corresponding to the difference between the outputs of the two complex N/2 correlators, by 2N.

After that, each complex magnitude block of the extended preamble correlation detector may output a complex magnitude value of the correlation detected by each correlator. A peak detector block may detect a peak from the input complex magnitude values of the correlations. The peak detector may output frame start information by detecting the location of a preamble from the detected peak and performing OFDM symbol timing sync and fractional frequency offset sync. In addition, the peak detector may output information about the structure of the preamble, i.e., whether the preamble is a normal preamble or a robust preamble, and includes an EAS message (EAS flag), based on the detected peak.

FIG. 50 is a detailed block diagram of a correlation detector in a preamble detector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, this figure corresponds to another embodiment of the extended preamble correlation detector described above in relation to FIG. 49. This figure shows an example of the extended preamble correlation detector in a case when different scrambler sequences are applied to two preambles included in the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Operations of sub-blocks of the extended preamble correlation detector according to an embodiment of the present invention may be the same as those of the sub-blocks of the preamble correlation detector for detecting the robust preamble which are described above in relation to FIG. 43.

The extended preamble correlation detector may multiply signals (i) and (ii) obtained by conjugating signals delayed from received signals (i) r(t) and (ii) r(t) by the size of FFT, N.

The extended preamble correlation detector may generate the signal (ii) by conjugating r(t) and then delaying the same by the size of FFT, N. In this figure, a conj block and an N delay (ND) block may generate the signal (ii). This operation is the same as that of the extended preamble correlation detector described above in relation to FIG. 49. Operation till now is the same as that of the above-described robust preamble correlation detector.

After that, each complex correlator may output correlation between the signal obtained by multiplying (i) and (ii) and a scrambling sequence. The complex correlators of this figure may output sequence correlations of a plurality of preambles to which different scrambler sequences (scrambler sequence A and scrambler sequence B) are applied. In addition, the complex correlators (Complex correlator EAS off A or Complex correlator EAS on A of this figure) may selectively operate depending on whether a plurality of preambles include EAS.

A description is now given of operation of the extended preamble correlation detector in a case when a plurality of preambles include EAS (EAS on). The extended preamble correlation detector may detect sequence correlation based on two sequence correlations detected from Complex correlator EAS on A and Complex correlator EAS on B. The extended preamble correlation detector may detect sequence correlation by summing (i) the correlation detected by Complex correlator EAS on B and (ii) correlation delayed from the correlation detected by Complex correlator EAS on A, by 2N.

After that, each complex magnitude block of the extended preamble correlation detector may output a complex magnitude value of the correlation detected by each correlator. A peak detector block may detect a peak from the input complex magnitude values of the correlations. The peak detector may output frame start information by detecting the location of a preamble from the detected peak and performing OFDM symbol timing sync and fractional frequency offset sync. In addition, the peak detector may output information about the structure of the preamble, i.e., whether the preamble is a normal preamble or a robust preamble, and includes an EAS message (EAS flag), based on the detected peak.

The above-described sequence correlation acquisition operation of the extended preamble correlation detector may be the same as that in a case when a plurality of preambles do not include EAS (EAS off).

FIG. 51 is a view illustrating a frame structure of a broadcast system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The above-described cell mapper included in the frame structure module may locate cells for transmitting input SISO, MISO or MIMO processed DP data, cells for transmitting common DP data, and cells for transmitting PLS data in a signal frame according to scheduling information. Then, the generated signal frames may be sequentially transmitted.

A broadcast signal transmission apparatus and transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention may multiplex and transmit signals of different broadcast transception systems within the same RF channel, and a broadcast signal reception apparatus and reception method according to an embodiment of the present invention may correspondingly process the signals. Thus, a broadcast signal transception system according to an embodiment of the present invention may provide a flexible broadcast transception system.

Therefore, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may sequentially transmit a plurality of superframes delivering data related to broadcast service.

The upper portion of FIG. 51 illustrates a superframe according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the middle portion of FIG. 51 illustrates the configuration of the superframe according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in the middle portion of FIG. 51, the superframe may include a plurality of signal frames and a non-compatible frame (NCF). According to an embodiment of the present invention, the signal frames are time division multiplexing (TDM) signal frames of a physical layer end, which are generated by the above-described frame structure module, and the NCF is a frame which is usable for a new broadcast service system in the future.

The broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may multiplex and transmit various services, e.g., UHD, Mobile and MISO/MIMO, on a frame basis to simultaneously provide the services in an RF. Different broadcast services may require different reception environments, transmission processes, etc. according to characteristics and purposes of the broadcast services.

Accordingly, different services may be transmitted on a signal frame basis, and the signal frames can be defined as different frame types according to services transmitted therein. Further, data included in the signal frames can be processed using different transmission parameters, and the signal frames can have different FFT sizes and guard intervals according to broadcast services transmitted therein.

Accordingly, as illustrated in the middle of FIG. 51, the different-type signal frames for transmitting different services may be multiplexed using TDM and transmitted within a superframe.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a frame type may be defined as a combination of an FFT mode, a guard interval mode and a pilot pattern, and information about the frame type may be transmitted using a preamble portion within a signal frame. A detailed description thereof will be given below.

Further, configuration information of the signal frames included in the superframe may be signaled through the above-described PLS, and may vary on a superframe basis.

At the bottom of FIG. 51 is a view illustrating the configuration of each signal frame. The signal frame may include a preamble, head/tail edge symbols EH/ET, one or more PLS symbols and a plurality of data symbols. This configuration is variable according to the intention of a designer.

The preamble is located at the very front of the signal frame and may transmit a basic transmission parameter for identifying a broadcast system and the type of signal frame, information for synchronization, etc. Thus, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may initially detect the preamble of the signal frame, identify the broadcast system and the frame type, and selectively receive and decode a broadcast signal corresponding to a receiver type.

The head/tail edge symbols may be located after the preamble of the signal frame or at the end of the signal frame. In the present invention, an edge symbol located after the preamble may be called a head edge symbol and an edge symbol located at the end of the signal frame may be called a tail edge symbol. The names, locations or numbers of the edge symbols are variable according to the intention of a designer. The head/tail edge symbols may be inserted into the signal frame to support the degree of freedom in design of the preamble and multiplexing of signal frames having different frame types. The edge symbols may include a larger number of pilots compared to the data symbols to enable frequency-only interpolation and time interpolation between the data symbols. Accordingly, a pilot pattern of the edge symbols has a higher density than that of the pilot pattern of the data symbols.

The PLS symbols are used to transmit the above-described PLS data and may include additional system information (e.g., network topology/configuration, PAPR use, etc.), frame type ID/configuration information, and information necessary to extract and decode DPs.

The data symbols are used to transmit DP data, and the above-described cell mapper may locate a plurality of DPs in the data symbols.

A description is now given of DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 52 is a view illustrating DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, data symbols of a signal frame may include a plurality of DPs. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the DPs may be divided into type 1 to type 3 according to mapping modes (or locating modes) in the signal frame.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 52, illustrates type1 DPs mapped to the data symbols of the signal frame, The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 52, illustrates type2 DPs mapped to the data symbols of the signal frame, and the third dashed box, (c) of FIG. 52, illustrates type3 DPs mapped to the data symbols of the signal frame. The three dashed boxes, (a) to (c) of FIG. 52, illustrate only a data symbol portion of the signal frame, and a horizontal axis refers to a time axis while a vertical axis refers to a frequency axis. A description is now given of the type1 to type3 DPs.

As illustrated in the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 52, the type1 DPs refer to DPs mapped using TDM in the signal frame.

That is, when the type1 DPs are mapped to the signal frame, a frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may map corresponding DP cells in a frequency axis direction. Specifically, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may map cells of DP0 in a frequency axis direction and, if an OFDM symbol is completely filled, move to a next OFDM symbol to continuously map the cells of DP0 in a frequency axis direction. After the cells of DP0 are completely mapped, cells of DP1 and DP2 may also be mapped to the signal frame in the same manner. In this case, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may map the cells with an arbitrary interval between DPs.

Since the cells of the type1 DPs are mapped with the highest density on the time axis, compared to other-type DPs, the type1 DPs may minimize an operation time of a receiver. Accordingly, the type1 DPs are appropriate to provide a corresponding service to a broadcast signal reception apparatus which should preferentially consider power saving, e.g., a handheld or portable device which operates using a battery.

As illustrated in the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 52, the type2 DPs refer to DPs mapped using frequency division multiplexing (FDM) in the signal frame.

That is, when the type2 DPs are mapped to the signal frame, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may map corresponding DP cells in a time axis direction. Specifically, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may preferentially map cells of DP0 on the time axis at a first frequency of an OFDM symbol. Then, if the cells of DP0 are mapped to the last OFDM symbol of the signal frame on the time axis, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may continuously map the cells of DP0 in the same manner from a second frequency of a first OFDM symbol.

Since the cells of the type2 DPs are transmitted with the widest distribution in time, compared to other-type DPs, the type2 DPs are appropriate to achieve time diversity. However, since an operation time of a receiver to extract the type2 DPs is longer than that to extract the type1 DPs, the type2 DPs may not easily achieve power saving. Accordingly, the type2 DPs are appropriate to provide a corresponding service to a fixed broadcast signal reception apparatus which stably receives power supply.

Since cells of each type2 DP are concentrated on a specific frequency, a receiver in a frequency selective channel environment may have problem to receive a specific DP. Accordingly, after cell mapping, if frequency interleaving is applied on a symbol basis, frequency diversity may be additionally achieved and thus the above-described problem may be solved.

As illustrated in the third dashed box, (c) of FIG. 52, the type3 DPs correspond to an intermediate form between the type1 DPs and the type2 DPs and refer to DPs mapped using time & frequency division multiplexing (TFDM) in the signal frame.

When the type3 DPs are mapped to the signal frame, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may equally partition the signal frame, define each partition as a slot, and map cells of corresponding DPs in a time axis direction along the time axis only within the slot.

Specifically, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may preferentially map cells of DP0 on the time axis at a first frequency of a first OFDM symbol. Then, if the cells of DP0 are mapped to the last OFDM symbol of the slot on the time axis, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may continuously map the cells of DP0 in the same manner from a second frequency of the first OFDM symbol.

In this case, a trade-off between time diversity and power saving is possible according to the number and length of slots partitioned from the signal frame. For example, if the signal frame is partitioned into a small number of slots, the slots have a large length and thus time diversity may be achieved as in the type2 DPs. If the signal frame is partitioned into a large number of slots, the slots have a small length and thus power saving may be achieved as in the type1 DPs.

FIG. 53 is a view illustrating type1 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 53 illustrates an embodiment in which the type1 DPs are mapped to a signal frame according to the number of slots. Specifically, the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 53, shows a result of mapping the type1 DPs when the number of slots is 1, and the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 53, shows a result of mapping the type1 DPs when the number of slots is 4.

To extract cells of each DP mapped in the signal frame, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention needs type information of each DP and signaling information, e.g., DP start address information indicating an address to which a first cell of each DP is mapped, and FEC block number information of each DP allocated to a signal frame.

Accordingly, as illustrated in the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 53, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit signaling information including DP start address information indicating an address to which a first cell of each DP is mapped (e.g., DP0_St, DP1_St, DP2_St, DP3_St, DP4_St), etc.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 53, shows a result of mapping the type1 DPs when the signal frame is partitioned into 4 slots. Cells of DPs mapped to each slot may be mapped in a frequency direction. As described above, if the number of slots is large, since cells corresponding to a DP are mapped and distributed with a certain interval, time diversity may be achieved. However, since the number of cells of a DP mapped to a single signal frame is not always divided by the number of slots, the number of cells of a DP mapped to each slot may vary. Accordingly, if a mapping rule is established in consideration of this, an address to which a first cell of each DP is mapped may be an arbitrary location in the signal frame. A detailed description of the mapping method will be given below. Further, when the signal frame is partitioned into a plurality of slots, the broadcast signal reception apparatus needs information indicating the number of slots to obtain cells of a corresponding DP. In the present invention, the information indicating the number of slots may be expressed as N_Slot. Accordingly, the number of slots of the signal frame of the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 53, may be expressed as N_Slot=1 and the number of slots of the signal frame of the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 53, may be expressed as N_Slot=4.

FIG. 54 is a view illustrating type2 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, cells of a type2 DP are mapped in a time axis direction and, if the cells of the DP are mapped to the last OFDM symbol of a signal frame on a time axis, the cells of the DP may be continuously mapped in the same manner from a second frequency of a first OFDM symbol.

As described above in relation to FIG. 53, even in the case of the type2 DPs, to extract cells of each DP mapped in the signal frame, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention needs type information of each DP and signaling information, e.g., DP start address information indicating an address to which a first cell of each DP is mapped, and FEC block number information of each DP allocated to a signal frame.

Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 54, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit DP start address information indicating an address to which a first cell of each DP is mapped (e.g., DP0_St, DP1_St, DP2_St, DP3_St, DP4_St). Further, FIG. 54 illustrates a case in which the number of slots is 1, and the number of slots of the signal frame of FIG. 54 may be expressed as N_Slot=1.

FIG. 55 is a view illustrating type3 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The type3 DPs refer to DPs mapped using TFDM in a signal frame as described above, and may be used when power saving is required while restricting or providing time diversity to a desired level. Like the type2 DPs, the type3 DPs may achieve frequency diversity by applying frequency interleaving on an OFDM symbol basis.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 55 illustrates a signal frame in a case when a DP is mapped to a slot, and the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 55 illustrates a signal frame in a case when a DP is mapped to two or more slots. Both (a) and (b) of FIG. 55 illustrate a case in which the number of slots is 4, and the number of slots of the signal frame may be expressed as N_Slot=4.

Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 53 and 54, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit DP start address information indicating an address to which a first cell of each DP is mapped (e.g., DP0_St, DP1_St, DP2_St, DP3_St, DP4_St).

In the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 55, time diversity different from that achieved in the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 55, may be achieved. In this case, additional signaling information may be needed.

As described above in relation to FIGS. 53 to 55, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit signaling information including DP start address information indicating an address to which a first cell of each DP is mapped (e.g., DP0_St, DP1_St, DP2_St, DP3_St, DP4_St), etc. In this case, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit only the start address information of DP0 which is initially mapped, and transmit an offset value based on the start address information of DP0 for the other DPs. If the DPs are equally mapped, since mapping intervals of the DPs are the same, a receiver may achieve start locations of the DPs using information about a start location of an initial DP, and an offset value. Specifically, when the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention transmits offset information having a certain size based on the start address information of DP0, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may calculate a start location of DP1 by adding the above-described offset information to the start address information of DP0. In the same manner, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may calculate a start location of DP2 by adding the above-described offset information twice to the start address information of DP0. If the DPs are not equally mapped, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit the start address information of DP0 and offset values (OFFSET 1, OFFSET 2, . . . ) indicating intervals of the other DPs based on the start location of DP0. In this case, the offset values may be the same or different. Further, the offset value(s) may be included and transmitted in PLS signaling information or in-band signaling information to be described below with reference to FIG. 68. This is variable according to the intention of a designer.

A description is now given of a method for mapping a DP using resource blocks (RBs) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An RB is a certain unit block for mapping a DP and may be called a data mapping unit in the present invention. RB based resource allocation is advantageous in intuitively and easily processing DP scheduling and power saving control. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the name of the RB is variable according to the intention of a designer and the size of RB may be freely set within a range which does not cause a problem in bit-rate granularity.

The present invention may exemplarily describe a case in which the size of RB is a value obtained by multiplying or dividing the number of active carriers (NoA) capable of transmitting actual data in an OFDM symbol, by an integer. This is variable according to the intention of a designer. If the RB has a large size, resource allocation may be simplified. However, the size of RB indicates a minimum unit of an actually supportable bit rate and thus should be determined with appropriate consideration.

FIG. 56 is a view illustrating RBs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 56 illustrates an embodiment in which DP0 is mapped to a signal frame using RBs when the number of FEC blocks of DP0 is 10. A case in which the length of LDPC blocks is 64K and a QAM modulation value is 256QAM as transmission parameters of DP0, a FFT mode of the signal frame is 32K, and a scattered pilot pattern is PP32-2 (i.e., the interval of pilots delivering carriers is Dx=32, and the number of symbols included in a scattered pilot sequence is Dy=2) is described as an example. In this case, the size of FEC block corresponds to 8100 cells, and NoA can be assumed as 27584. Assuming that the size of RB is a value obtained by dividing NoA by 4, the size of RB corresponds to 6896 cells and may be expressed as L_RB=NoA/4.

In this case, when the size of FEC blocks and the size of RBs are compared on a cell basis, a relationship of the size of 10×FEC blocks=the size of 11×RBs+5144 cells is established. Accordingly, to map the 10 FEC blocks to a single signal frame on an RB basis, the frame structure module (or cell mapper) according to an embodiment of the present invention may map data of the 10 FEC blocks sequentially to the 11 RBs to map the 11 RBs to a current signal frame, and map the remaining data corresponding to the 5144 cells to a next signal frame together with next FEC blocks.

FIG. 57 is a view illustrating a procedure for mapping RBs to frames according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 57 illustrates a case in which contiguous signal frames are transmitted.

When a variable bit rate is supported, each signal frame may have a different number of FEC blocks transmittable therein.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 57, illustrates a case in which the number of FEC blocks to be transmitted in signal frame N is 10, a case in which the number of FEC blocks to be transmitted in signal frame N+1 is 9, and a case in which the number of FEC blocks to be transmitted in signal frame N+2 is 11.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 57, illustrates a case in which the number of RB to be mapped to signal frame N is 11, a case in which the number of RB to be mapped to signal frame N+1 is 11, and a case in which the number of RB to be mapped to signal frame N+2 is 13.

The third dashed box, (c) of FIG. 57, shows a result of mapping the RBs to signal frame N, signal frame N+1 and signal frame N+2.

As illustrated in (a) and (b) of FIG. 57, when the number of FEC blocks to be transmitted in signal frame N is 10, since the size of 10 FEC blocks equals to a value obtained by adding 5144 cells to the size of 11 RBs, the 11 RBs may be mapped to and transmitted in signal frame N as illustrated in the third dashed box, (c) of FIG. 57.

In addition, as illustrated in the center of FIG. 57, i.e. (b), the remaining 5144 cells form an initial part of a first RB among 11 RBs to be mapped to signal frame N+1. Accordingly, since a relationship of 5144 cells+the size of 9 FEC blocks=the size of 11 RBs+2188 cells is established, 11 RBs are mapped to and transmitted in signal frame N+1 and the remaining 2188 cells form an initial part of a first RB among 13 RBs to be mapped to signal frame N+2. In the same manner, since a relationship of 2188 cells+the size of 11 FEC blocks=the size of 13 RBs+1640 cells is established, 13 RBs are mapped to and transmitted in signal frame N+2 and the remaining 1640 cells are mapped to and transmitted in a next signal frame. The size of FEC blocks is not the same as the size of NoA and thus dummy cells can be inserted. However, according to the method illustrated in FIG. 57, there is no need to insert dummy cells and thus actual data may be more efficiently transmitted. Further, time interleaving or processing similar thereto may be performed on RBs to be mapped to a signal frame before the RBs are mapped to the signal frame and This is variable according to the intention of a designer.

A description is now given of a method of mapping DPs to a signal frame on an RB basis according to the above-described types of the DPs.

Specifically, in the present invention, the RB mapping method is described by separating a case in which a plurality of DPs are allocated to all available RBs in a signal frame from a case in which the DPs are allocated to only some RBs. The present invention may exemplarily describe a case in which the number of DPs is 3, the number of RBs in a signal frame is 80, and the size of RB is a value obtained by dividing NoA by 4. This case may be expressed as follows.

Number of DPs, N_DP=3

Number of RBs in a signal frame, N_RB=80

Size of RB, L_RB=NoA/4

Further, the present invention may exemplarily describe a case in which DP0 fills 31 RBs, DP1 fills 15 RBs, and DP2 fills 34 RBs, as the case in which a plurality of DPs (DP0, DP1, DP2) are allocated to available RBs in a signal frame. This case may be expressed as follows.

{DP0, DP1, DP2}={31,15,34}

In addition, the present invention may exemplarily describe a case in which DP0 fills 7 RBs, DP1 fills 5 RBs, and DP2 fills 6 RBs, as the case in which a plurality of DPs (DP0, DP1, DP2) are allocated to only some RBs in a signal frame. This case may be expressed as follows.

{DP0, DP1, DP2}={7,5,6}

FIGS. 59 to 60 illustrate RB mapping according to the types of DPs.

The present invention may exemplarily define the following values to describe an RB mapping rule according to the type of each DP.

L_Frame: Number of OFDM symbols in a signal frame

N_Slot: Number of slots in a signal frame

L_Slot: Number of OFDM symbols in a slot

N_RB_Sym: Number of RBs in an OFDM symbol

N_RB: Number of RBs in a signal frame

FIG. 58 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type1 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 58 illustrates a single signal frame, and a horizontal axis refers to a time axis while a vertical axis refers to a frequency axis. A colored block located at the very front of the signal frame on the time axis corresponds to a preamble and signaling portion. As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of DPs may be mapped to a data symbol portion of the signal frame on a RB basis.

The signal frame illustrated in FIG. 58 consists of 20 OFMD symbols (L_Frame=20) and includes 4 slots (N_Slot=4). Further, each slot includes 5 OFDM symbols (L_Slot=5) and each OFDM symbol is equally partitioned into 4 RBs (N_RB_Sym=4). Accordingly, a total number of RBs in the signal frame is L_Frame*N_RB_Sym which corresponds to 80.

Numerals indicated in the signal frame of FIG. 58 refer to the order of allocating RBs in the signal frame. Since the type1 DPs are sequentially mapped in a frequency axis direction, it can be noted that the order of allocating RBs is sequentially increased on the frequency axis. If the order of allocating RBs is determined, corresponding DPs may be mapped to ultimately allocated RBs in the order of time. Assuming that an address to which each RB is actually mapped in the signal frame (i.e., RB mapping address) is j, j may have a value from 0 to N_RB-1. In this case, if an RB input order is defined as i, i may have a value of 0, 1, 2, . . . , N_RB-1 as illustrated in FIG. 58. If N_Slot=1, since the RB mapping address and the RB input order are the same (j=i), input RBs may be sequentially mapped in ascending order of j. If N_Slot>1, RBs to be mapped to the signal frame may be partitioned and mapped according to the number of slots, N_Slot. In this case, the RBs may be mapped according to a mapping rule expressed as an equation illustrated at the bottom of FIG. 58.

FIG. 59 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type2 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Like the signal frame illustrated in FIG. 58, a signal frame illustrated in FIG. 59 consists of 20 OFMD symbols (L_Frame=20) and includes 4 slots (N_Slot=4). Further, each slot includes 5 OFDM symbols (L_Slot=5) and each OFDM symbol is equally partitioned into 4 RBs (N_RB_Sym=4). Accordingly, a total number of RBs in the signal frame is L_Frame*N_RB_Sym which corresponds to 80.

As described above in relation to FIG. 58, assuming that an address to which each RB is actually mapped in the signal frame (i.e., RB mapping address) is j, j may have a value from 0 to N_RB-1. Since the type2 DPs are sequentially mapped in a time axis direction, it can be noted that the order of allocating RBs is sequentially increased in a time axis direction. If the order of allocating RBs is determined, corresponding DPs may be mapped to ultimately allocated RBs in the order of time.

As described above in relation to FIG. 58, when an RB input order is defined as i, if N_Slot=1, since j=i, input RBs may be sequentially mapped in ascending order of j. If N_Slot>1, RBs to be mapped to the signal frame may be partitioned and mapped according to the number of slots, N_Slot. In this case, the RBs may be mapped according to a mapping rule expressed as an equation illustrated at the bottom of FIG. 59.

The equations illustrated in FIGS. 58 and 59 to express the mapping rules have no difference according to the types of DPs. However, since the type1 DPs are mapped in a frequency axis direction while the type2 DPs are mapped in a time axis direction, different RB mapping results are achieved due to the difference in mapping direction.

FIG. 60 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type3 DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Like the signal frames illustrated in FIGS. 59 and 59, a signal frame illustrated in FIG. 60 consists of 20 OFMD symbols (L_Frame=20) and includes 4 slots (N_Slot=4). Further, each slot includes 5 OFDM symbols (L_Slot=5) and each OFDM symbol is equally partitioned into 4 RBs (N_RB_Sym=4). Accordingly, a total number of RBs in the signal frame is L_Frame*N_RB_Sym which corresponds to 80.

An RB mapping address of the type3 DPs may be calculated according to an equation illustrated at the bottom of FIG. 60. That is, if N_Slot=1, the RB mapping address of the type3 DPs is the same as the RB mapping address of the type2 DPs. The type2 and type3 DPs are the same in that they are sequentially mapped in a time axis direction but are different in that the type2 DPs are mapped to the end of a first frequency of the signal frame and then continuously mapped from a second frequency of a first OFDM symbol while the type3 DPs are mapped to the end of a first frequency of a slot and then continuously mapped from a second frequency of a first OFDM symbol of the slot in a time axis direction. Due to this difference, when the type3 DPs are used, time diversity may be restricted by L_Slot and power saving may be achieved on L_Slot basis.

FIG. 61 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type1 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 61 illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when type1 DP0, DP1 and DP2 are allocated to available RBs in a signal frame, and the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 61, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when each of type1 DP0, DP1 and DP2 is partitioned and allocated to RBs included in different slots in a signal frame. Numerals indicated in the signal frame refer to the order of allocating RBs. If the order of allocating RBs is determined, corresponding DPs may be mapped to ultimately allocated RBs in the order of time.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 61, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=1 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={31,15,34}.

Specifically, DP0 may be mapped to RBs in a frequency axis direction according to the order of the RBs and, if an OFDM symbol is completely filled, move to a next OFDM symbol on the time axis to be continuously mapped in a frequency axis direction. Accordingly, if DP0 is mapped to RB0 to RB30, DP1 may be continuously mapped to RB31 to RB45 and DP2 may be mapped to RB46 to RB79.

To extract RBs to which a corresponding DP is mapped, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention needs type information of each DP (DP_Type) and the number of equally partitioned slots (N_Slot), and needs signaling information including DP start address information of each DP (DP_RB_St), FEC block number information of each DP to be mapped to a signal frame (DP_N_Block), start address information of an FEC block mapped in a first RB (DP_FEC_St), etc.

Accordingly, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may also transmit the above-described signaling information.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 61, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=4 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={31,15,34}.

Specifically, the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 61, shows a result of partitioning DP0, DP1 and DP2 and then sequentially mapping the partitions of each DP to slots on an RB basis in the same manner as the case in which N_Slot=1. An equation expressing a rule for partitioning RBs of each DP is illustrated at the bottom of FIG. 61. In the equation illustrated in FIG. 61, parameters s, N_RB_DP and N_RB_DP(s) may be defined as follows.

s: Slot index, s=0,1,2, . . . , N_Slot−1

N_RB_DP: Number of RBs of a DP to be mapped to a signal frame

N_RB_DP(s): Number of RBs of a DP to be mapped to a slot of slot index s

According to an embodiment of the present invention, since N_RB_DP=31 for DP0, according to the equation illustrated in FIG. 61, the number of RBs of DP0 to be mapped to a first slot may be N_RB_DP(0)=8, the number of RBs of DP0 to be mapped to a second slot may be N_RB_DP(1)=8, the number of RBs of DP0 to be mapped to a third slot may be N_RB_DP(2)=8, and the number of RBs of DP0 to be mapped to a fourth slot may be N_RB_DP(3)=7. In the present invention, the numbers of RBs of DP0 partitioned to be mapped to the slots may be expressed as {8,8,8,7}.

In the same manner, DP1 may be partitioned into {4,4,4,3} and DP2 may be partitioned into {9,9,8,8}.

The RBs of each partition of a DP may be sequentially mapped in each slot using the method of the above-described case in which N_Slot=1. In this case, to equally fill all slots, the partitions of each DP may be sequentially mapped from a slot having a smaller slot index s among slots to which a smaller number of RBs of other DPs are allocated.

In the case of DP1, since RBs of DP0 are partitioned into {8,8,8,7} and mapped to the slots in the order of s=0,1,2,3, it can be noted that the smallest number of RBs of DP0 are mapped to the slot having a slot index s=3. Accordingly, RBs of DP1 may be partitioned into {4,4,4,3} and mapped to the slots in the order of s=3,0,1,2. In the same manner, since the smallest number of RBs of DP0 and DP1 are allocated to slots having slot index s=2 and 3 but s=2 is smaller, RBs of DP2 may be partitioned into {9,9,8,8} and mapped to the slots in the order of s=2,3,0,1.

FIG. 62 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type1 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 62 illustrates an embodiment in which the above-described RB mapping address of the type1 DPs is equally applied. An equation expressing the above-described RB mapping address is illustrated at the bottom of FIG. 62. Although a mapping method and procedure in FIG. 62 are different from those described above in relation to FIG. 61, since mapping results thereof are the same, the same mapping characteristics may be achieved. According to the mapping method of FIG. 62, RB mapping may be performed using a single equation irrespective of the value of N_Slot.

FIG. 63 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type1 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 63, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when type1 DP0, DP1 and DP2 are allocated to only some RBs in a signal frame, and the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 63, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when each of type1 DP0, DP1 and DP2 is partitioned and allocated to only some RBs included in different slots in a signal frame. Numerals indicated in the signal frame refer to the order of allocating RBs. If the order of allocating RBs is determined, corresponding DPs may be mapped to ultimately allocated RBs in the order of time.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 63, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=1 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={7,5,6}.

Specifically, DP0 may be mapped to RBs in a frequency axis direction according to the order of the RBs and, if an OFDM symbol is completely filled, move to a next OFDM symbol on the time axis to be continuously mapped in a frequency axis direction. Accordingly, if DP0 is mapped to RB0 to RB6, DP1 may be continuously mapped to RB7 to RB11 and DP2 may be mapped to RB12 to RB17.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 63, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=4 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={7,5,6}.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 63, illustrates embodiments in which RBs of each DP are partitioned according to the RB partitioning rule described above in relation to FIG. 61 and are mapped to a signal frame. Detailed procedures thereof have been described above and thus are not described here.

FIG. 64 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type2 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 64, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when type2 DP0, DP1 and DP2 are allocated to available RBs in a signal frame, and the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 64, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when each of type2 DP0, DP1 and DP2 is partitioned and allocated to RBs included in different slots in a signal frame. Numerals indicated in the signal frame refer to the order of allocating RBs. If the order of allocating RBs is determined, corresponding DPs may be mapped to ultimately allocated RBs in the order of time.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 64, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=1 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={31,15,34}.

Since RBs of type2 DPs are mapped to the end of a first frequency of the signal frame and then continuously mapped from a second frequency of a first OFDM symbol, time diversity may be achieved. Accordingly, if DP0 is mapped to RB0 to RB19 on a time axis and then continuously mapped to RB20 to RB30 of the second frequency, DP1 may be mapped to RB31 to RB45 in the same manner and DP2 may be mapped to RB46 to RB79.

To extract RBs to which a corresponding DP is mapped, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention needs type information of each DP (DP_Type) and the number of equally partitioned slots (N_Slot), and needs signaling information including DP start address information of each DP (DP_RB_St), FEC block number information of each DP to be mapped to a signal frame (DP_N_Block), start address information of an FEC block mapped in a first RB (DP_FEC_St), etc.

Accordingly, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may also transmit the above-described signaling information.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 64, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=4 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={31,15,34}.

A first signal frame of the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 64, shows a result of performing RB mapping according to the RB partitioning rule described above in relation to FIG. 61, and a second signal frame of the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 64, shows a result of performing RB mapping by equally applying the above-described RB mapping address of the type2 DPs. Although mapping methods and procedures of the above two cases are different, since mapping results thereof are the same, the same mapping characteristics may be achieved. In this case, RB mapping may be performed using a single equation irrespective of the value of N_Slot.

FIG. 65 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type2 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 65, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when type2 DP0, DP1 and DP2 are allocated to only some RBs in a signal frame, and the second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 65, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when each of type2 DP0, DP1 and DP2 is partitioned and allocated to only some RBs included in different slots in a signal frame. Numerals indicated in the signal frame refer to the order of allocating RBs. If the order of allocating RBs is determined, corresponding DPs may be mapped to ultimately allocated RBs in the order of time.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 65, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=1 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={7,5,6}.

Specifically, DP0 may be mapped to RBs in a time axis direction according to the order of the RBs and, if DP0 is mapped to RB0 to RB6, DP1 may be continuously mapped to RB7 to RB11 and DP2 may be mapped to RB12 to RB17.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 65, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=4 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={7,5,6}.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 65, illustrates embodiments in which RBs of each DP are partitioned according to the RB partitioning rule described above in relation to FIG. 61 and are mapped to a signal frame. Detailed procedures thereof have been described above and thus are not described here.

FIG. 66 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type3 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 66, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when each of type3 DP0, DP1 and DP2 is partitioned and allocated to RBs included in different slots in a signal frame, and The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 66, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when each of type3 DP0, DP1 and DP2 is partitioned and allocated to only some RBs included in a slot in a signal frame. Numerals indicated in the signal frame refer to the order of allocating RBs. If the order of allocating RBs is determined, corresponding DPs may be mapped to ultimately allocated RBs in the order of time.

The first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 66, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=4 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={31,15,34}.

A first signal frame of the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 66, illustrates an embodiment in which the above-described RB mapping address of the type3 DPs is equally applied. A second signal frame of the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 66, illustrates an embodiment in which, when the number of RBs of a DP is greater than that of a slot, time diversity is achieved by changing a slot allocation order. Specifically, the second signal frame of the first dashed box, (a) of FIG. 66, corresponds to an embodiment in which, when the number of RBs of DP0 allocated to a first slot of the first signal frame is greater than that of the first slot, the remaining RBs of DP0 are allocated to a third slot.

The second dashed box, (b) of FIG. 66, illustrates an RB mapping order in a case when N_Slot=4 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={7,5,6}.

Further, to extract RBs to which a corresponding DP is mapped, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention needs type information of each DP (DP_Type) and the number of equally partitioned slots (N_Slot), and needs signaling information including DP start address information of each DP (DP_RB_St), FEC block number information of each DP to be mapped to a signal frame (DP_N_Block), start address information of an FEC block mapped in a first RB (DP_FEC_St), etc.

Accordingly, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may also transmit the above-described signaling information.

FIG. 67 is a view illustrating RB mapping of type3 DPs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 67 illustrates RB mapping in a case when N_Slot=1 and {DP0, DP1, DP2}={7,5,6}. As illustrated in FIG. 67, RBs of each DP may be mapped on an arbitrary block basis in a signal frame. In this case, the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention needs additional signaling information as well as the above-described signaling information to extract RBs to which a corresponding DP is mapped.

As such, the present invention may exemplarily describe a case in which DP end address information of each DP (DP_RB_Ed) is additionally transmitted. Accordingly, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may map RBs of the DP on an arbitrary block basis and transmit the above-described signaling information, and the broadcast signal reception apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may detect and decode the RBs of the DP mapped on an arbitrary block basis, using DP_RB_St information and DP_RB_Ed information included in the above-described signaling information. When this method is used, free RB mapping is enabled and thus DPs may be mapped with different RB mapping characteristics.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 67, RBs of DP0 may be mapped in a corresponding block in a time axis direction to achieve time diversity like type2 DPs, RBs of DP1 may be mapped in a corresponding block in a frequency axis direction to achieve the power saving effect like type1 DPs. Besides, RBs of DP2 may be mapped in a corresponding block in consideration of time diversity and power saving like type3 DPs.

Further, even in a case when RBs are not mapped in the whole corresponding block like DP1, the broadcast signal reception apparatus may accurately detect the locations of RBs to be acquired, using the above-described signaling information, e.g., DP_FEC_St information, DP_N_Block information, DP_RB_St information and DP_RB_Ed information, and thus a broadcast signal may be efficiently transmitted and received.

FIG. 68 is a view illustrating signaling information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 68 illustrates the above-described signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types, and the signaling information may be transmitted using signaling through a PLS (hereinafter referred to as PLS signaling) or in-band signaling.

Specifically, the left side dashed box, (a) of FIG. 68, illustrates signaling information transmitted through a PLS, and the right side dashed box, (b) of FIG. 68, illustrates signaling information transmitted through in-band signaling.

As illustrated in FIG. 68, the signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types may include N_Slot information, DP_Type information, DP_N_Block information, DP_RB_St information, DP_FEC_St information and DP_N_Block information.

The signaling information transmitted through PLS signaling is the same as the signaling information transmitted through in-band signaling. However, a PLS includes information about all DPs included in a corresponding signal frame for service acquisition and thus the signaling information other than N_Slot information and DP_Type information may be defined within a DP loop for defining information about every DP. On the other hand, in-band signaling is used to acquire a corresponding DP and thus is transmitted for each DP. As such, in-band signaling is different from PLS signaling in that a DP loop for defining information about every DP is not necessary. A brief description is now given of the signaling information.

N_Slot information: Information indicating the number of slots partitioned form a signal frame, which may have the size of 2 bits. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the number of slots may be 1,2,4,8.

DP_Type information: Information indicating the type of a DP, which may be one of type 1, type 2 and type 3 as described above. This information is extensible according to the intention of a designer and may have the size of 3 bits.

DP_N_Block_Max information: Information indicating the maximum number of FEC blocks of a corresponding DP or a value equivalent thereto, which may have a size of 10 bits.

DP_RB_St information: Information indicating an address of a first RB of a corresponding DP, and the address of an RB may be expressed on an RB basis. This information may have a size of 8 bits.

DP_FEC_St information: Information indicating a first address of an FEC block of a corresponding DP to be mapped to a signal frame, and the address of an FEC block may be expressed on a cell basis. This information may have a size of 13 bits.

DP_N_Block information: Information indicating the number of FEC blocks of a corresponding DP to be mapped to a signal frame or a value equivalent thereto, which may have a size of 10 bits.

The above-described signaling information may vary name, size, etc. thereof according to the intention of a designer in consideration of the length of a signal frame, the size of time interleaving, the size of RB, etc.

Since PLS signaling and in-band signaling have a difference according to uses thereof as described above, for more efficient transmission, signaling information may be omitted for PLS signaling and in-band signaling as described below.

First, a PLS includes information about all DPs included in a corresponding signal frame. Accordingly, DPs are completely and sequentially mapped to the signal frame in the order of DP0, DP1, DP2, . . . , the broadcast signal reception apparatus may perform calculation to achieve DP_RB_St information. In this case, DP_RB_St information may be omitted.

Second, in the case of in-band signaling, the broadcast signal reception apparatus may acquire DP_FEC_St information of a next signal frame using DP_N_Block information of a corresponding DP. Accordingly, DP_FEC_St information may be omitted.

Third, in the case of in-band signaling, when N_Slot information, DP_Type information and DP_N_Block_Max information which influence mapping of a corresponding DP are changed, a 1-bit signal indicating whether the corresponding information is changed may be used, or the change may be signaled. In this case, additional N_Slot information, DP_Type information and DP_N_Block_Max information may be omitted.

That is, DP_RB_St information may be omitted in the PLS, and signaling information other than DP_RB_St information and DP_N_Block information may be omitted in in-band signaling. This is variable according to the intention of a designer.

FIG. 69 is a graph showing the number of bits of a PLS according to the number of DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 69 shows an increase in number of bits for PLS signaling in a case when signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types is transmitted through a PLS, as the number of DPs is increased.

A dashed line refers to a case in which every related signaling information is transmitted (Default signaling), and a solid line refers to a case in which the above-described types of signaling information are omitted (Efficient signaling). As the number of DPs is increased, if certain types of signaling information are omitted, it is noted that the number of saved bits is linearly increased.

FIG. 70 is a view illustrating a procedure for demapping DPs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in the top of FIG. 70, the broadcast signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit contiguous signal frames 35000 and 35100. The configuration of each signal frame is as described above.

As described above, when the broadcast signal transmission apparatus maps DPs of different types to a corresponding signal frame on an RB basis and transmits the signal frame, the broadcast signal reception apparatus may acquire a corresponding DP using the above-described signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types.

As described above, the signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types may be transmitted through a PLS 35010 of the signal frame or through in-band signal 35020. The left bottom side of FIG. 70, a dashed box (a) of FIG. 70, illustrates signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types, which is transmitted through the PLS 35010, and the right bottom side of FIG. 70, a dashed box (b) of FIG. 70, illustrates signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types, which is transmitted through in-band signaling 35020. In-band signaling 35020 is processed, e.g., coded, modulated, and time-interleaved, together with data included in the corresponding DP, and thus may be indicated as being included as parts of data symbols in the signal frame. Each type of signaling information has been described above and thus is not described here.

As illustrated in FIG. 70, the broadcast signal reception apparatus may acquire the signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types, which is included in the PLS 35010, and thus may demap and acquire DPs mapped to the corresponding signal frame 35000. Further, the broadcast signal reception apparatus may acquire the signaling information related to RB mapping according to DP types, which is transmitted through in-band signaling 35020, and thus may demap DPs mapped to the next signal frame 35100.

FIG. 71 is a view illustrating signal frame structures according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Each of signal frames 41010 and 41020 illustrated in the upper side of FIG. 71 may include a preamble P, head/tail edge symbols EH/ET, one or more PLS symbols PLS and a plurality of data symbols (marked as “DATA Frame N” and “DATA Frame N+1”). This is variable according to the intention of a designer. “T_Sync” marked in each signal frame of FIG. 71 refers to a time necessary to achieve stable synchronization for PLS decoding based on information acquired from a preamble by a receiver. A description is now given of a method for allocating a PLS offset portion by the frame structure module to ensure T_Sync time.

The preamble is located at the very front of each signal frame and may transmit a basic transmission parameter for identifying a broadcast system and the type of signal frame, information for synchronization, information about modulation and coding of a signal included in the frame, etc. The basic transmission parameter may include FFT size, guard interval information, pilot pattern information, etc. The information for synchronization may include carrier and phase, symbol timing and frame information. Accordingly, a broadcast signal reception apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention may initially detect the preamble of the signal frame, identify the broadcast system and the frame type, and selectively receive and decode a broadcast signal corresponding to a receiver type.

Further, the receiver may acquire system information using information of the detected and decoded preamble, and may acquire information for PLS decoding by additionally performing a synchronization procedure. The receiver may perform PLS decoding based on the information acquired by decoding the preamble.

To perform the above-described function of the preamble, the preamble may be transmitted with a robustness several dB higher than that of service data. Further, the preamble should be detected and decoded prior to the synchronization procedure.

The upper side of FIG. 71 illustrates the structure of signal frames in which PLS symbols are mapped subsequently to the preamble symbol or the edge symbol EH. Since the receiver completes synchronization after a time corresponding to T_Sync, the receiver may not decode the PLS symbols immediately after the PLS symbols are received. In this case, a time for receiving one or more signal frames may be delays until the receiver decodes the received PLS data. Although a buffer may be used for a case in which synchronization is not completed before PLS symbols of a signal frame are received, a problem in which a plurality of buffers are necessary may be caused.

Each of signal frames 41030 and 41040 illustrated in the bottom of FIG. 71 may also include the symbols P, EH, ET, PLS and DATA Frame N illustrated in the upper side of FIG. 71.

The frame structure module according to another embodiment of the present invention may configure a PLS offset portion 41031 or 41042 between the head edge symbol EH and the PLS symbols PLS of the signal frame 41030 or 41040 for rapid service acquisition and data decoding. If the frame structure module configures the PLS offset portion 41031 or 41042 in the signal frame, the preamble may include PLS offset information PLS_offset. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the value of PLS_offset may be defined as the length of OFDM symbols used to configure the PLS offset portion.

Due to the PLS offset portion configured in the signal frame, the receiver may ensure T_Sync corresponding to a time for detecting and decoding the preamble.

A description is now given of a method for determining the value of PLS_offset.

The length of an OFDM symbol in the signal frame is defined as T_Symbol. If the signal frame does not include the edge symbol EH, the length of OFDM symbols including the PLS offset (the value of PLS_offset) may be determined as a value equal to or greater than a ceiling value (or rounded-up value) of T_Sync/T_Symbol.

If the signal frame includes the edge symbol EH, the length of OFDM symbols including PLS_offset may be determined as a value equal to or greater than (a ceiling value (or rounded-up value) of T_Sync/T_Symbol)−1.

Accordingly, the receiver may know of the structure of the received signal frame based on data including the value of PLS_offset which is acquired by detecting and decoding the preamble. If the value of PLS_offset is 0, it can be noted that the signal frame according to an embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which the PLS symbols are sequentially mapped subsequently to the preamble symbol. Alternatively, if the value of PLS_offset is 0 and the signal frame includes the edge symbol, the receiver may know of the signal frame has a structure in which the edge symbol and the PLS symbols are sequentially mapped subsequently to the preamble symbol.

The frame structure module may configure the PLS offset portion 41031 to be mapped to the data symbols DATA Frame N or the PLS symbols PLS. Accordingly, as illustrated in the bottom of FIG. 71, the frame structure module may allocate data symbols to which data of a previous frame (e.g., Frame N−1) is mapped, to the PLS offset portion. Alternatively, although not shown in the bottom of FIG. 71, the frame structure module may allocate PLS symbols to which PLS data of a next frame is mapped, to the PLS offset portion.

The frame structure module may perform one or more quantization operations on PLS_offset to reduce signaling bits of the preamble.

A description is now given of an example in which the frame structure module allocates 2 bits of PLS_offset to the preamble to be signaled.

If the value of PLS_offset is “00”, the length of the PLS offset portion is 0. This means that the PLS data is mapped in the signal frame immediately next to the preamble or immediately next to the edge symbol if the edge symbol is present.

If the value of PLS_offset is “01”, the length of the PLS offset portion is ¼*L_Frame. Here, L_Frame refers to the number of OFDM symbols which can be included in a frame.

If the value of PLS_offset is “10”, the length of the PLS offset portion is 2/4*L_Frame.

If the value of PLS_offset is “11”, the length of the PLS offset portion is ¾*L_Frame.

The above-described method for determining the value of PLS_offset and the length of the PLS offset portion by the frame structure module is merely an exemplary embodiment, and terms and values thereof may vary according to the intention of a designer.

As described above, FIG. 71 illustrates a frame structure in a case when a time corresponding to a plurality of OFDM symbols (PLS_offset) is taken for synchronization after the preamble is detected and decoded. After the preamble is detected and decoded, the receiver may compensate integer frequency offset, fractional frequency offset and sampling frequency offset for a time for receiving a plurality of OFDM symbols (PLS_offset) based on information such as a continual pilot and a guard interval.

A description is now given of an effect achievable when the frame structure module according to an embodiment of the present invention ensures T_Sync by allocating the PLS offset portion to the signal frame.

If the signal frame includes the PLS offset portion, a reception channel scanning time and a service data acquisition time taken by the receiver may be reduced.

Specifically, PLS information in the same frame as the preamble detected and decoded by the receiver may be decoded within a time for receiving the frame, and thus the channel scanning time may be reduced. In future broadcast systems, various systems can transmit data in a physical frame using TDM and thus the complexity of channel scanning is increased. As such, if the structure of the signal frame to which the PLS offset portion is allocated according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, the channel scanning time may be reduced more.

Further, compared to the structure of the signal frame to which the PLS offset portion is not allocated (in the upper side of FIG. 71), in the structure of the signal frame to which the PLS offset portion is allocated (in the bottom of FIG. 71), the receiver may expect a service data acquisition time gain corresponding to the difference between the length of the signal frame and the length of the PLS_offset portion.

The above-described effect of allocating the PLS offset portion may be achieved in a case when the receiver cannot decode PLS data in the same frame as the received preamble symbol. If the frame structure module can be designed to decode the preamble and the edge symbol without allocating the PLS offset portion, the value of PLS_offset may be set to 0.

FIG. 72 is a diagram showing a frame structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This figure is partially the same as the frame structure described above in relation to FIG. 10, and concepts of the two frame structure are the same. FIG. 72 shows an example configuration of the frame types and FRUs in a super-frame. The top and middle parts of FIG. 72 show a super-frame and FRUs included in the super-frame, respectively. The bottom part of FIG. 72 shows the number of frames included in each FRU (this number is up to 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention and is variable depending on intension of a designer) and profiles (base, handheld and advanced) transmitted in the frames and a FEF. As described above, the frames according to an embodiment of the present invention can transmit 3 types of profiles. Unlike FIG. 10(c), FIG. 72 shows an example in which the frames according to an embodiment of the present invention can transmit an advanced profile.

A super-frame may be composed of eight FRUs. The FRU is a basic multiplexing unit for TDM (Time division multiplexing) of the frames, and is repeated eight times in a super-frame.

The TDM scheme can easily change transmission parameters (FFT, pilot pattern, etc.) per frame compared to frequency division multiplexing (FDM) scheme, and thus may be advantageous to simultaneously transmit different PHY profiles. In addition, a low-power mobile receiver may be designed using the TDM scheme.

Each frame in the FRU belongs to one of the PHY profiles, (base, handheld, advanced) or FEF. The maximum allowed number of the frames in the FRU is four and a given PHY profile can appear any number of times from zero times to four times in the FRU (e.g., base, base, handheld, advanced). PHY profile definitions can be extended using reserved values of the PHY_PROFILE in the preamble, if required.

The FEF part is inserted at the end of the FRU, if included. When the FEF is included in the FRU, the minimum number of FEFs is 8 in a super-frame. It is not recommended that FEF parts be adjacent to each other.

The above-described FRU structure according to an embodiment of the present invention may have flexibility and may minimize signaling overhead for signaling a super-frame structure. The number of frames included in each FRU and the number of FRUs included in a super-frame are variable depending on intention of a designer. In addition, a super-frame according to the present invention is a concept including frames within a specific time period and the term itself is variable depending on intension of a designer.

FIG. 73 is a diagram showing the structure of OFDM symbols included in one frame.

Specifically, FIG. 73 is a diagram showing the structure of OFDM symbols in a case when a frame transmits a base profile. Although this figure shows a frame for transmitting a base profile, frames for transmitting a handheld profile and an advanced profile may also have the same OFDM symbol structure.

One frame is further divided into a number of OFDM symbols and a preamble. As shown in FIG. 73, the frame comprises a preamble, one or more frame signaling symbols (FSS), normal data symbols and a frame edge symbol (FES). Descriptions of symbols in this figure may be the same as those given above in relation to FIG. 10.

The preamble is a special symbol that enables fast Futurecast UTB system signal detection and provides a set of basic transmission parameters for efficient transmission and reception of the signal. Preamble signaling data carries 21 bits of information that are needed to enable the receiver to access PLS data and trace DPs within the frame structure. Signaling data may be included. A description of the preamble signaling data included in the preamble is the same as that given above in relation to FIG. 12.

The main purpose of the FSS(s) is to carry the PLS data. For fast synchronization and channel estimation, and hence fast decoding of PLS data, the FSS has more dense pilot pattern than the normal data symbol. The FES has exactly the same pilots as the FSS, which enables frequency-only interpolation within the FES and temporal interpolation, without extrapolation, for symbols immediately preceding the FES.

FIG. 74 is a table showing Signaling format for FRU configuration.

Future broadcast services can simultaneously transmit different PHY profiles or a FEF per FRU, per super-frame, or per channel. A channel scan time can increase as different PHY profiles are simultaneously transmitted. Accordingly, to prevent the channel scan time from increasing, information about arrangement of the PHY profiles or the FEF in FRU needs to be signaled.

The broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform FRU configuration signaling in two steps as described below. First, a preamble signals whether PHY profiles and a FEF are present in a super-frame or a FRU. That is, a preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention may signal included PHY_PROFILE and FRU_CONFIGURE.

Second, a PLS signals the order and accurate length information of the PHY profiles or the FEF. That is, signaling fields such as FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION included in PLS1 may indicate the order and the accurate length information of the PHY profiles or the FEF. Descriptions of FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION are the same as those given above in relation to FIG. 13.

By signaling FRU configuration in two steps as described above, the receiver may acquire information about whether desired PHY profiles or a FEF are present in a corresponding channel (or super-frame or FRU), by decoding only the preamble. That is, an exit condition for allowing the receiver to scan a desired channel (or super-frame or FRU) fast may be provided by signaling the FRU configuration information in the preamble.

In addition, the FRU configuration signal according to an embodiment of the present invention is included in the preamble and PLS1. Accordingly, the receiver may acquire location information of PHY profiles or a FEF transmitted in a certain time period (e.g., a super-frame period in the present invention) by accessing any frame within the time period. This enables efficient power consumption in a case when the receiver performs channel scan and channel switch.

The table of FIG. 74 is the same as Table 8 above. A description is now given of the table of Signaling format for FRU configuration. As previously described, configuration of a frame present in a channel may be recognized through FRU_CONFIGURE. Herein, the range which can be indicated by FRU_CONFIGURE may be the whole channel or a superframe. As described above, if a superframe is constructed by repetition of a frame repetition unit (FRU), the FRUs having the same configuration may be repeated in a superframe, and therefore frame configuration of the FRU may also be recognized through FRU_CONFIGURE.

As described above, PHY_PROFILE informs of the type of a frame having the preamble. That is, if PHY_PROFILE is set to 000, the frame may be a frame according to a base profile. If it is set to 001, the frame may be a frame according to a hand-held profile. If PHY_PROFILE is set to 010, the frame may be a frame according to an advanced profile. If PHY_PROFILE is set to 111, the frame may be a future extension frame (FEF), namely, a frame for another system to be used in the future.

According to one embodiment, the FRU_CONFIGURE field may have 3 bits. Each bit may indicate whether or not a frame according to a specific profile is present in the superframe.

To represent all configurations of a superframe with a small number of bits, the FRU_CONFIGURE field indicates whether or not a frame according to a specific profile is present in the superframe in relation to the type of a current frame. That is, configurations of the superframe may be distinguished by combinations of FRU_CONFIGURE and PHY_PROFILE.

If FRU_CONFIGURE is set to 000, the channel or the superframe may consist of frames of one type which are not mixed with other types of frames. That is, if the profile of the current frame is a base profile (PHY_PROFILE=000), and the value of FRU_CONFIGURE is 000, only frames according to the base profile may be present in the superframe.

In the case in which the profile of the current frame is a base profile (PHY_PROFILE=000), if the first bit of FRU_CONFIGURE is set to 1, a frame according to the handheld profile may be present in the superframe. If the second bit of FRU_CONFIGURE is 1, a frame according to the advanced profile may be present in the superframe. If the third bit of FRU_CONFIGURE is 1, an FEF may be present in the superframe.

If the profile of the current frame is not the base profile, meaning of each bit of FRU_CONFIGURE may change. For example, in the case in which the profile of the current frame is the handheld profile (PHY_PROFILE=001), if the first bit of FRU_CONFIGURE is 1, a frame according to the base profile may be present in the superframe. If the second bit of FRU_CONFIGURE is 1, a frame according to the advanced profile may be present in the superframe. If the third bit of FRU_CONFIGURE is 1, an FEF may be present in the superframe.

For example, if the profile of the current frame is the advanced profile (PHY_PROFILE=010), and the value of FRU_CONFIGURE is 011, a frame according to the base profile is not present in the superframe, whereas a frame according to the handheld profile and an FEF are present in the superframe.

In this manner, all possible configurations that the superframe can have may be represented. With the present invention, a large number of superframe configurations may be represented with a smaller number of bits through combination with the “current frame type indicating field:” (PHY_PROFILE). That is, the present invention implements efficient signaling for a preamble with a limited number of bits, and provides minimum information allowing the receiver to implement fast channel scanning.

FIG. 75 is a diagram showing preamble signaling of FRU configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 75 shows a FRU consisting of 4 frames. The frames included in the FRU according to the current embodiment include a base profile, a handheld profile, an advanced profile and a FEF. PHY_PROFILE and FRU_CONFIGURE values are written under each frame. The PHY_PROFILE and FRU_CONFIGURE values described below are based on the table of FIG. 74. These values are variable depending on intension of a designer.

Initially, the first frame transmits the base profile and thus has a PHY_PROFILE value of ‘000’.

The second frame transmits the handheld profile and thus has a PHY_PROFILE value of ‘001’.

The third frame transmits the advanced profile and thus has a PHY_PROFILE value of ‘010’.

The fourth frame transmits the FEF and thus has a PHY_PROFILE value of ‘111’.

FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined for each frame per FRU.

Initially, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the first frame. In the case of the first frame, since a current frame is the base profile, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the first and second columns of the table of FIG. 74. If the handheld profile is present in the FRU, FRU_CONFIGURE is ‘1XX’. If the advanced profile is present in the FRU, FRU_CONFIGURE is ‘X1X’. If the FEF is present in the FRU, FRU_CONFIGURE is ‘XX1’. Accordingly, FRU_CONFIGURE determined based on the first frame of this figure is ‘111’.

Likewise, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the second frame. In the case of the second frame, since a current frame is the handheld profile, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the first and third columns of the table of FIG. 74. If the base profile is present in the FRU, FRU_CONFIGURE is ‘1XX’. If the advanced profile is present in the FRU, FRU_CONFIGURE is ‘X1X’. If the FEF is present in the FRU, FRU_CONFIGURE is ‘XX1’. Accordingly, FRU_CONFIGURE determined based on the second frame of this figure is ‘111’.

Similarly, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the third frame. In the case of the third frame, since a current frame is the advanced profile, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the first and fourth columns of the table of FIG. 74. Accordingly, FRU_CONFIGURE determined based on the third frame of this figure is ‘111’. In the same manner, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the fourth frame. In the case of the fourth frame, since a current frame is the FEF, FRU_CONFIGURE may be determined based on the first and fifth columns of the table of FIG. 74. Accordingly, FRU_CONFIGURE determined based on the fourth frame of this figure is ‘111’.

FIG. 76 is a diagram showing PLS signaling of FRU configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may signal corresponding information in each of FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION fields of a PLS.

FIG. 76 shows a FRU consisting of 4 frames. The frames included in the FRU according to the current embodiment include a base profile, a handheld profile, an advanced profile and a FEF. NUM_FRAME_FRU, and FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION field values of each frame are written under the frames. A description is now given of each parameter.

NUM_FRAME_FRU field indicates the number of the frames per FRU. Accordingly, NUM_FRAME_FRU=“00” may represent a case in which the FRU includes one frame, NUM_FRAME_FRU=“01” may represent a case in which the FRU includes two frames, NUM_FRAME_FRU=“10” may represent a case in which the FRU includes three frames, and NUM_FRAME_FRU=“11” may represent a case in which the FRU includes four frames.

The value of i may be determined depending on the NUM_FRAME_FRU value. According to an embodiment of the present invention, since NUM_FRAME_FRU=“11”, i can have values from 0 to 3.

The first frame included in the FRU of this figure transmits the base profile and thus FRU_PHY_PROFILE=“000”, the second frame transmits the handheld profile and thus FRU_PHY_PROFILE=“001”, the third frame transmits the advanced profile and thus FRU_PHY_PROFILE=“010”, and the fourth frame transmits the FEF and thus FRU_PHY_PROFILE=“111”.

FRU_FRAME_LENGTH represents the length of each frame. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the length of the frame is increased by 50 ms as the FRU_FRAME_LENGTH value is increased by 1. Accordingly, for example, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH=“00” if the frame length is 50 ms, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH=“01” if the frame length is 100 ms, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH=“10” if the frame length is 150 ms, and FRU_FRAME_LENGTH=“11” if the frame length is 200 ms.

FRU_GI_FRACTION represents a guard interval fraction value of each frame. According to an embodiment of the present invention, for example, the FRU_GI_FRACTION value may be based on Table 7.

This figure shows an example in which the guard interval fraction value is 1/80 if FRU_GI_FRACTION=“100”, and the guard interval fraction value is 1/20 if FRU_GI_FRACTION=“001”.

Overhead of the PLS to be transmitted may be reduced or increased depending on the NUM_FRAME_FRU value transmitted through the PLS. Accordingly, as the NUM_FRAME_FRU value is reduced, overhead of the PLS may be reduced. If the length of the PLS is variable, the preamble may include information corresponding to the length of the PLS.

The preamble may transmit minimum essential information for efficiency and robustness. If the length of the PLS is fixed, the preamble may not transmit information corresponding to the length of the PLS. Accordingly, compared to the case in which the length of the PLS is variable, if the length of the PLS is fixed, the preamble may efficiently and robustly transmit signaling information.

The case in which the length of the PLS is fixed may refer to a case in which a fixed length is assigned to the PLS.

If the length of the PLS is fixed, the broadcast signal receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform zero padding by the difference between the NUM_FRAME_FRU value and the assigned PLS length.

The above description corresponds to an embodiment of the present invention, and names, functions, values, etc. of the signaling fields are variable depending on intension of a designer.

FIG. 77 is a diagram showing syntax of the PLS signaling field described above in relation to FIG. 76.

The broadcast signal receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention may allocate 2 bits, 3 bits, 2 bits and 3 bits to the NUM_FRAME_FRU, FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION signaling fields, respectively. Descriptions of the signaling fields of FIG. 47 are the same as those given above in relation to FIGS. 13 and 76.

The number of for loops is determined based on the NUM_FRAME_FRU value. FIG. 77 shows an example in which the NUM_FRAME_FRU value is “11” and i is from 0 to 3. Accordingly, the number of for loops is determined as 4. The for loop may be a unit for distinguishing individual signaling information of each frame included in a FRU.

The number of for loops may be changed based on whether the length of the PLS is fixed, as described above in relation to FIG. 76. That is, if the length of the PLS is variable, the number of for loops may be determined based on the NUM_FRAME_FRU value. On the other hand, if the length of the PLS is fixed, the number of for loops may also be fixed. For example, the number of for loops may be fixed to 4.

The broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may include FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION information corresponding to the number of for loops.

As described above in relation to FIG. 13, using FRU_FRAME_LENGTH together with FRU_GI_FRACTION, the exact value of the frame duration can be obtained.

FIG. 78 is a table showing Number of OFDM symbols per frame for each FFT and frame length according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The frame length is divided into four, i.e., 50, 100, 150 and 200 ms, and FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is signaled using 2 bits in FIG. 76 to minimize signaling overhead.

Specifically, FIG. 78 is a table showing Number of OFDM symbols per frame for each FFT and frame length in a case when FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is signaled using 2 bits as in FIG. 76. As described above in relation to FIGS. 13, 76 and 77, using FRU_FRAME_LENGTH together with FRU_GI_FRACTION, the exact value of the frame duration can be obtained.

The table of FIG. 78 shows the number of OFDM symbols included in one frame depending on FRU_FRAME_LENGTH when FFT sizes are 32K, 16K and 8K. For example, when the FFT size is 32K, if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “00”, 9 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame. Likewise, when the FFT size is 32K, 18 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “01”, 27 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “10”, and 36 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “11”.

When the FFT size is 16K, if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “00”, 18 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame. Likewise, when the FFT size is 16K, 36 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “01”, 54 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “10”, and 72 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “11”.

When the FFT size is 8K, if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “00”, 36 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame. Likewise, when the FFT size is 8K, 72 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “01”, 108 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “10”, and 144 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “11”.

The broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine the number of OFDM symbols included in one frame based on FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FFT size.

The table shown in FIG. 78 merely corresponds to an embodiment and is variable depending on intension of a designer.

The broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may extend bits of FRU_FRAME_LENGTH. Specifically, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may extend bits of FRU_FRAME_LENGTH if service having a low data rate other than video service is provided or if service having an arbitrary frame length is provided using a FEF region.

For example, if the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention controls the frame length per OFDM symbol, when the FFT size is 8K, up to 144 OFDM symbols should be signaled and thus 8 bits may be allocated to FRU_FRAME_LENGTH.

Alternatively, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may control the frame length based on 32K FFT to adjust signaling overhead and flexibility. In this case, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention should signal up to 36 OFDM symbols and thus may extend the bits of FRU_FRAME_LENGTH to 6 bits.

A description of a method for signaling FRU_FRAME_LENGTH using 6 bits by the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention will be given below with reference to FIG. 80.

FIG. 79 is a table showing frame length in millisecond per frame for each FFT and GI fraction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 79 is a table showing frame length in millisecond per frame for each FFT and GI fraction in a case when FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is signaled using 6 bits.

In the table, GIF denotes a guard interval fraction and N_Sym denotes the number of OFDM symbols per frame.

When FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is signaled using 6 bits, up to 64 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame. In addition, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may support frames having frame lengths up to 300 ms or above as shown in the table of FIG. 79.

However, if the maximum frame length is limited to 250 ms due to channel scan or the like (e.g., DTB-T2 broadcast standard), the maximum number of OFDM symbols using 6 bits and not exceeding 250 ms may be saturated and used. Accordingly, shaded parts in the table of FIG. 79 may not be valid. In this case, the number of OFDM symbols may be limited to 44 to 50 depending on the FFT size and the GI fraction value.

FIG. 80 is a table showing Number of OFDM symbols per frame for each FFT and frame length according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 80 is a table showing another embodiment of Number of OFDM symbols per frame for each FFT and frame length in a case when FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is signaled using 2 bits in FIG. 78. That is, FIG. 80 is a table showing Number of OFDM symbols per frame for each FFT and frame length in a case when FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is signaled using 6 bits.

The broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine the number of OFDM symbols included in one frame depending on FFT size and FRU_FRAME_LENGTH based on the table of FIG. 80. For example, when the FFT size is 32K, if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “000000”, 1 OFDM symbol may be included in one frame. Likewise, when the FFT size is 32K, 2 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “000001”, 3 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “000010”, and 35 OFDM symbols may be included in one frame if FRU_FRAME_LENGTH is “100010”.

In the same manner, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine the number of OFDM symbols included in one frame in a case when the FFT sizes are 16K and 8K, depending on the FRU_FRAME_LENGTH value based on the table of FIG. 80.

FIG. 80 shows an example in which the maximum number of OFDM symbols included in one frame is limited to 36, 72 and 144 depending on FFT sizes. This corresponds to an example in which the frame length is limited to 200 ms. However, when the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention desires to extend the frame length to 250 ms, the broadcast signal transmitter may design the maximum number of OFDM symbols with reference to FIG. 79 in such a manner that the frame length does not exceed 250 ms.

Numerical values indicated in FIGS. 78 to 80 are variable depending on intension of a designer.

FIG. 81 is a flowchart of a broadcast signal transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may encode data for transmitting at least one broadcast service component (or service data) (S83000). As described above, the data according to an embodiment of the present invention may be processed per DP corresponding to the data. The data may be encoded by the bit interleaved coding & modulation block 1010.

Then, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may build at least one signal frame (S83010). The signal frame according to an embodiment of the present invention may include PLS data and service data. The signal frame may be built by the frame building block 1020.

After that, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may modulate the built at least one signal frame by an OFDM scheme (S83020). The signal frame may be OFDM-modulated by the waveform generation module 1030.

Then, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may insert a preamble into the built at least one signal frame. The preamble inserted into the signal frame may be a normal preamble, a robust preamble or an extended (or enhanced) preamble. The broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may insert a normal preamble, a robust preamble or an extended preamble into the signal frame depending on a channel environment for transmitting the signal frame. As described above, the robust preamble may be generated by repeating a normal preamble. In this case, the first half of the robust preamble is exactly the same as the normal preamble, and the second half of the robust preamble is a simple variation of the normal preamble where the difference arises from the sequence SSS applied in the frequency domain.

The extended preamble may have a form in which a plurality of normal preambles are repeated. As described above in relation to FIG. 47, two OFDM data regions included in the extended preamble according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., OFDM data A and OFDM data B, may transmit different signaling data. A description of the extended preamble may be the same as that given above in relation to FIGS. 47 to 50.

The preamble insertion block 8050 according to an embodiment of the present invention may insert one of the above-described preambles into the signal frame.

To generate the robust preamble, the preamble insertion block 8050 according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate a first half of the robust preamble and a second half of the robust preamble using different scrambling sequences, or using the same scrambling sequence but different carrier allocation schemes. The first half and the second half of the robust preamble generated according to an embodiment of the present invention may have different signal waveforms in the time domain. Accordingly, even when the same signaling information is repeatedly transmitted in the time domain, data offset due to a multipath channel does not occur.

To generate the extended preamble, the preamble insertion block 8050 according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate a first half of the robust preamble and a second half of the robust preamble using different scrambling sequences, or using the same scrambling sequence but different carrier allocation schemes. A period in which the normal preamble structure is repeated in the extended preamble generated according to an embodiment of the present invention may have different signal waveforms in the time domain.

The signal frame according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a preamble and PLS data. Total signaling fields included in the preamble and the PLS data may be referred to as signaling data. Alternatively, only signaling fields included in the PLS data may be referred to as signaling data.

As described above in relation to FIGS. 72 to 80, the signaling data according to an embodiment of the present invention may include FRU configuration information or length information of each frame included in a super frame. Specifically, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may signal information about whether PHY profiles and a FEF are present in a super-frame or a FRU, i.e., PHY_PROFILE and FRU_CONFIGURE, as the FRU configuration signaling information.

In addition, the signaling data according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the order and accurate length information of the PHY profiles or the FEF. That is, signaling fields such as FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION may indicate the order and the accurate length information of the PHY profiles or the FEF. Descriptions of FRU_PHY_PROFILE, FRU_FRAME_LENGTH and FRU_GI_FRACTION are the same as those given above in relation to FIG. 13.

Then, the broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention may transmit at least one broadcast signal including the built and modulated at least one signal frame (S83030).

FIG. 82 is a flowchart of a broadcast signal reception method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 82 corresponds to an inverse procedure to the broadcast signal transmission method described above in relation to FIG. 81.

The broadcast signal receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention may receive at least one broadcast signal (S84000). The broadcast signal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one signal frame, and each signal frame may include a preamble and PLS data, and service data.

A description of signaling data included in the preamble and the PLS data is the same as that given above in relation to FIG. 81 and thus is omitted here.

The broadcast signal according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one or more signal frames. Each signal frame may include a preamble and edge, PLS and data symbols. As described above, the broadcast signal receiver having received the broadcast signal may detect the preamble and descramble the preamble based on a scrambling sequence applied when the broadcast signal transmitter generates the preamble. In this case, the preamble may be a normal preamble or a robust preamble. Then, the broadcast signal receiver may acquire the signaling data included in the preamble.

A preamble detector included in the synchronization & demodulation block 9000 according to an embodiment of the present invention may detect and descramble the preamble. That is, the preamble detector may perform inverse operation to that of the preamble insertion block 7500. As described above, the preamble detector may perform different operations depending on the type of the preamble (a normal preamble, a robust preamble or an extended preamble) included in the signal frame.

Specific descriptions of the operations may be the same as those given above in relation to FIGS. 43 to 46, and 48 to. 50.

The broadcast signal receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention may demodulate the received at least one broadcast signal by an OFDM scheme (S84010). The broadcast signal may be demodulated by the synchronization & demodulation module 9000.

Then, the broadcast signal receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention may parse at least one signal frame from the demodulated broadcast signal (S84020). The signal frame may be parsed by the frame parsing module 9010.

After that, the broadcast signal receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention may decode the service data for transmitting at least one broadcast service component (S84030). The data may be decoded by the demapping & decoding module 9020.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Both apparatus and method inventions are mentioned in this specification and descriptions of both of the apparatus and method inventions may be complementarily applicable to each other. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for transmitting broadcast signals by an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, the method comprising: encoding service data corresponding to each of physical paths; building at least one signal frame including the encoded service data; modulating data of the at least one signal frame by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) scheme; inserting a preamble at a beginning of the at least one signal frame after the modulating step, wherein a duration of the preamble is extensible in OFDM symbol periods; and transmitting the broadcast signals carrying the preamble and the modulated data of the at least one signal frame, wherein each signal frame is assigned to a frame type according to a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) size, a guard interval length and a pilot pattern, and wherein when two adjacent signal frames having different frame types are multiplexed in the broadcast signals, a preceding signal frame further includes a tail edge symbol being positioned at an end of the preceding signal frame.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration of the preamble is extensible by increasing a number of OFDM symbols in the preamble.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the preamble includes two OFDM symbols, wherein each of the two OFDM symbols of the preamble includes emergency alert information.
 4. An apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, the apparatus comprising: an encoder to encode service data corresponding to each physical paths; a frame builder to build at least one signal frame including the encoded service data; a modulator to modulate data of the at least one signal frame by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) scheme; a preamble inserter to insert a preamble at a beginning of the at least one signal frame after modulating the at least one signal frame, wherein a duration of the preamble is extensible in OFDM symbol periods; and a transmitter for transmitting the broadcast signals carrying the preamble and the modulated data of the at least one signal frame, wherein each signal frame is assigned to a frame type according to a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) size, a guard interval length and a pilot pattern, and wherein when two adjacent signal frames having different frame types are multiplexed in the broadcast signals, a preceding signal frame further includes a tail edge symbol being positioned at an end of the preceding signal frame.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the duration of the preamble is extensible by increasing a number of OFDM symbols in the preamble.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the preamble includes two OFDM symbols, wherein each of the two OFDM symbols of the preamble includes emergency alert information. 